Shantha Biotechnics, the Hyderabad-based pioneers in genetic engineering in India, has won the prestigious 5th National Technology Award –2003 for “successful commercialisation of indigenous technology.” Institiuted by the Technology Development Board, Department of Science & Technology, Govt. of India, the award was presented by Vice-President of India Bhairon Singh Shekhawat to Varaprasad Reddy, Managing Director of Shantha Biotechnics, in New Delhi on Sunday.

Shantha won this keenly contested award for the successful development, manufacture and marketing of Shanferon, a recombinant human interferon Alpha 2B. Shanferon is the only Interferon to be developed, manufactured & marketed by an Indian biotech company.

This is the second time Shantha received this award. In the year 1999, the company got the award for “Successful development and commercialisation of Indigenous Technology” for Shanvac-B, a recombinant DNA Hepatitis-B vaccine.

Launched in April 2002, Shanferon is the only Interferon Alpha 2B in the world to be cloned & expressed in Pichia pastoris, a eukaryotic new generation host, having immense advantages over prokaryotic E. coli host. This technology has resulted in a cost-effective product that is very safe and has minimum side-effects profile compared to other interferons in the market. With quality comparable to international standards, Shanferon provides affordable therapy to the masses, according to a press statement from the company.

“Backed by extensive multi-centric clinical trials, Shanferon has found immediate acceptance from Gastroenterologists and Oncologists for indications like chronic myeloid leukemia, chronic viral hepatitis and several cancers. Over 1000 patients have benefited from this highly affordable interferon, a safe and cost-effective alternative to expensive MNC brands,” the statement said.

Shantha is now poised to obtain a process patent for the technology in several countries including US and Europe as its International application for a patent has been published by Patent Cooperation Treaty in 2001.

The company pioneered India's first r-DNA based human healthcare product in 1997 - Shanvac-B, an r-DNA technology based Hepatitis-B vaccine. Today Shantha is the first Indian company to get its Hepatitis-B vaccine pre-qualified by WHO, Geneva, for supplying to UN agencies globally.

Shantha now plans to launch similar novel recombinant DNA products and vaccines in the near future that conform to international quality standards while meeting the health-care needs of the Indian masses at affordable cost, the press statement added.