Hyderabad:

Vaccine manufacturer Indian Immunologicals Limited (IIL) signed a Memorandum of Association (MoA) with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) for the clinical development of the Zika vaccine.

As per the MoA, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) will fund the Phase I clinical trial costs, including the costs relating to the conduct, investigations, and monitoring of the clinical trial. The trial will be conducted at the ICMR network sites in India.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr K Anand Kumar, Managing Director, Indian Immunologicals Limited, said, “It is a great moment for IIL to collaborate with ICMR to develop Zika vaccine. IIL has been the single largest contributor to India achieving self-sufficiency in the field of vaccines.”

Dr Kumar further emphasised that it is essential to safeguard people from emerging diseases by developing safe and effective vaccines that are affordable. “Our foresight on the development of novel vaccine platforms, including codon de-optimized viral vaccines, is beginning to bear fruit,” he added.

ICMR DG Dr Rajiv Bahl called it a significant step towards achieving Atmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat.

“ICMR’s Phase I trial network, launched last year, facilitates first-in-human safety studies for innovative and affordable Frontier MedTech, including small molecules, biologics, and vaccines. With four Phase-I sites–ACTREC Mumbai, KEM Hospital Mumbai, SRM Chennai, and PGIMER Chandigarh–fully operational, Indian innovators no longer need to go abroad for Phase-I trials,” Dr Bahl said.

Dr Priyabrata Pattnaik, Deputy Managing Director, Indian Immunologicals Limited, said, “We have been at the forefront of developing vaccines for emerging viral diseases. Currently, we are working on developing vaccines for several neglected emerging diseases. Zika, Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD), Chikungunya, and the SARS-CoV-2 intra-nasal booster vaccine are to name a few.”

IIL partnered with Griffith University, Australia, to develop the codon de-optimized live-attenuated Zika vaccine that has completed extensive pre-clinical evaluations and received permission from the Indian regulatory authority to produce GMP-grade materials for clinical developmental work.

Zika disease, a viral infection, is mostly a mosquito-borne disease transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes. It can also be transmitted to the foetus during pregnancy, through sexual contact, blood transfusion and organ transplantation. The disease is usually mild and requires no specific treatment. However, it is more serious when infection occurs during pregnancy which may cause microcephaly and other congenital malformations in the infant, preterm birth and miscarriage. Few cases may also develop Guillain-Barre syndrome which is a neurological disorder.

In India, Zika cases have been reported in several states. According to the Ministry of Health, Government of India, as of July 22, 2024, 537 Zika cases have been registered. Currently, there is no vaccine available for its prevention.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

The Indian Council of Medical Research has pressed for avoiding protein supplements for building body mass and has recommended restricting salt intake, minimising sugar and ultra-processed foods and reading information on food labels to make informed and healthy food choices.

The Hyderabad-based National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) under the top health research body on Wednesday released revised ‘Dietary Guidelines for Indians (DGIs)’ to meet the requirements of essential nutrients and prevent non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

The DGIs have been drafted by a multi-disciplinary committee of experts led by Dr Hemalatha R, Director, ICMR-NIN and have undergone several scientific reviews. Seventeen guidelines have been listed in it.

In the DGIs, the NIN stated that prolonged intake of large amounts of protein powders or consumption of high protein concentrate has been associated with potential dangers such as bone mineral loss and kidney damage.

It also stated that sugar should be less than 5 per cent of total energy intake and a balanced diet should provide not more than 45 per cent calories from cereals, and millets and up to 15 per cent of calories from pulses, beans and meat.

The rest of the calories should come from nuts, vegetables, fruits and milk. Total fat intake should be less than or equal to 30 per cent energy, the guidelines said.

Due to the limited availability and high cost of pulses and meat, a significant proportion of the Indian population relies heavily on cereals, resulting in poor intake of essential macronutrients (essential amino acids and essential fatty acids) and micronutrients, it stated.

Low intake of essential nutrients can disrupt metabolism and increase the risk of insulin resistance and associated disorders from a young age. Estimates show that 56.4 per cent of the total disease burden in India is due to unhealthy diets, it said. Healthy diets and physical activity can reduce a substantial proportion of coronary heart disease (CHD) and hypertension (HTN) and prevent up to 80 per cent of type 2 diabetes.

“A significant proportion of premature deaths can be averted by following a healthy lifestyle,” it said, adding that the upsurge in the consumption of highly processed foods laden with sugars and fats, coupled with reduced physical activity and limited access to diverse foods, aggravated micronutrient deficiencies and obesity.
 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)