The Zydus Cadila Healthcare, with a technology transfer agreement with the South Korean based Green Cross Vaccine Corporation (GCVC), would start manufacturing a non-reactogenic and markedly immunogenic typhoid vaccine in India. The vaccine, which is currently marketed in the country by Zydus Vaccicare (the vaccine division of Zydus Cadila) with the brand name, VacTyph, is imported from GCVC at present. The company would start manufacturing the vaccine by January 2003 at its plant at Moraiya, near Ahmedabad.

In India, the current market requirement of typhoid vaccine is 50 million doses. Vaccicare, which is selling 70,000 doses an year at present, is planning to manufacture two to five lakh doses in its plant initially.

The vaccine is administered as a single intra-muscular or subcutaneous injection provides fast and effective protection against typhoid fever. According to informed sources, the reported side effects are infrequent and usually mild. It can be administered to individuals aged five years and above. However, the decision to vaccinate children between two and five years of age should be weighed against the risk of exposure to typhoid fever.

Zydus, after the recent launch of Vaxirab, the purified duck embryo rabies vaccine, in the country is also planning to introduce Hepatitis- B and A vaccine shortly with the technology arrangement with Berna Biotech, Switzerland.

The typhoid vaccine, which is a non-reactogenic and markedly immunogenic typhoid vaccine, was developed by GCVC as composed purified Vi polysaccharide of the Salmonella typhi strain Ty2 and the special method of production guarantees an exceptionally high level of purity. GCVC is marketing the vaccine world wide under the brand name, Typhovax, now.

GreenCross Vaccine is an international pharmaceutical company striving to provide world-wide access to prophylactic vaccines that are of high quality, safe and affordable. All corporate activities are dedicated to research, production and the world-wide distribution of vaccines. As the world's third largest hepatitis B vaccine manufacturer, GreenCross Vaccine teams up with other vaccine partners in the fight against mass diseases by providing them with a strong global distribution network spanning more than 60 countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East and South America. In April 2000, GreenCross Vaccine became a member of the Rhein Biotech Group.