Cadila Healthcare Limited (Zydus Cadila), an innovation-driven global healthcare company has entered into an exclusive agreement for the technology know-how for varicella vaccine production in the Russian Federation with Pharm Aid Ltd., headquartered in Russia. The exclusive agreement was signed at the Biotechmed conference in Gelendzhik, Russia. Pharm Aid Ltd, has been set up by Nacimbio together with Ishvan Pharmaceuticals Ltd., for the localization of innovative vaccine production in Russia.

“We welcome this opportunity to participate in and partner biotech opportunities in the Russian Federation market. In Pharm Aid and Nacimbio, we have found a reliable partner, representing one of the largest state corporations. As an innovation-driven global healthcare player our aim has always been to bridge unmet healthcare needs by improving accessibility to preventives and novel therapies. By being a technology enabler, I believe we are taking yet another important step in realising this mission”, said Dr. Sharvil Patel, managing director, Zydus Cadila.

Through this agreement, Zydus gains access to the public and private market segments in the Russian Federation, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan.  With an absence of assured supply of indigenously manufactured varicella vaccine, this vaccine does not feature currently in the National Immunisation Programme. The agreement aims to bring in a continuous supply of vaccines which could be included in the critical childhood immunization programme. The demand is estimated at 3 million doses per annum in the Russian Federation alone.

“Today has marked the beginning of high-priority projects that will enable market launch in a few years of new home-made modern vaccines that meet global quality standards. This is a momentous event for Russian healthcare system, the result of successful co-operation of the State and business intended to reduce dependence on import in socially significant areas, said Sergey Chemezov, CEO of Rostec State Corporation.

“Our partners are the leaders of the global biotech industry that supply their products to many countries, said Kirill Ganin, director general of Pharm Aid Ltd. With the co-operation that will bring together partners’ experience, our local manufacturing,  distribution and managerial capabilities, we will be able to reduce prime cost of the purchased vaccines and offer the market entirely new better medical products”.

National Immunobiological Company has been incorporated with an aim to set up a holding company (integrated entity) of Rostec State Corporation engaged in the development and production of immunobiological products. The group has been set up to ensure independence of the Russian Federation on imports in healthcare and pharmacological support by developing own production and research competences.

Pharm Aid Ltd. was set up on 26 May 2017 as a joint venture of Russian National Immunobiological Company (Nacimbio) that represents the pharmaceutical group of Rostec State Corporation and Ishvan Pharmaceutical Ltd from UAE. 51% of Pharm Aid Ltd. is owned by Ishvan, 49% – by Nacimbio. The company aims to partner with the world’s best pharma companies and bring in affordable, innovative products and full-cycle technology to the Russian Federation in treatment areas of Vaccines, HIV, Hepatitis and Tuberculosis.   

Rostec State Corporation is the Russian corporation set up in 2007 to promote the development, manufacture and export of high-tech industrial products for civil and military applications. It comprises more than 700 organizations that currently make up 11 holding companies in the military-industrial complex and 3 – in civil industries and more than 80 self-controlled entities.