Zydus Lifesciences on Tuesday said it will undertake development of a combination vaccine against shigellosis and typhoid.
The company, with support from the Gates Foundation, will carry out early-stage development, animal immunogenicity studies and regulatory preclinical toxicology studies for this combination vaccine, it said in a statement.
The project is expected to get underway in March 2025, and is being supported by the Gates Foundation, it added.
The drug maker said it will collaborate with a partner for the research and co-development of a combination vaccine, using Zydus' WHO prequalified Typhoid conjugate vaccine and Shigella vaccine from its partner.
The TCV-Shigella combination vaccine aims to protect children below five years against shigellosis, a diarrhoeal disease caused by the Shigella bacteria and typhoid fever, caused by the Salmonella bacteria, in areas where both the diseases are endemic.
This combination of vaccines, if found successful, will safeguard children against two lethal enteric diseases of global relevance.
"By collaborating with key partners and leveraging our research and development capabilities to provide novel solutions, we can bridge unmet needs through high-quality, and affordable vaccines that can create a sustainable impact in global public health," Zydus Lifescience MD Sharvil Patel said.
Gates Foundation Country Director M Hari Menon said, "We are excited about supporting this initiative by Zydus, which would leverage India's science and innovation expertise, and has the potential to contribute significantly to protecting children, not just in India, but also in other parts of the world."
Zydus Lifesciences shares were trading flat at Rs 870 apiece on BSE.
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