The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has entered into an agreement to collaborate on vaccine research and development with international vaccine development organisation International Vaccine Institute (IVI). Through this partnership, India will commit $5,00,000 (Rs 3.20 crore) annually for a stake in IVI.

Under its latest Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), ICMR will be focused on research and development of vaccines combatting various infectious diseases.

With regard to ICMR’s latest partnership, vaccine candidates developed in IVI labs could be brought to India and given to one of the companies here for further development. IVI may also facilitate further global testing of vaccine candidates developed in Indian labs by linking developers here with global partners.

The partnership is further expected to help with capacity building for clinical trials within India as well. The MoU is also expected to help support companies like Bharat Biotech, which has completed phase I clinical trials of its chikungunya vaccine and has expressed the need for support in conducting phase II and III trials for the candidate.

India supplies 60 per cent of the world's vaccines for vaccine-preventable diseases and contributes to 60-80 per cent of the United Nation’s annual vaccine purchases.

IVI has partnered with Indian vaccine manufacturers, research institutes, government, and public health agencies on vaccine development, research, and training for over a decade.