Bharat Biotech International Limited (BBIL) specializes in product-oriented research, development and manufacturing of vaccines and biotherapeutics. It has achieved an annual turnover of Rs 271.66 crore in FY 2009-10 as against Rs 241.05 crore in FY 2008-09.

Bharat Biotech, established in 1996 by Dr Krishna M Ella and Suchitra K Ella, is one of the largest manufacturers of Indirab (anti-rabies vaccine) in India. It is a WHO pre-qualified manufacturer of Revac-B (hepatitis-B vaccine) for supply to UNICEF and the only vaccine company in India to manufacture and supply a preservative (thiomersol) free vaccine, Revac-Bmcf.

Bharat Biotech has developed a three-dimensional business model with emphasis on biogenerics, contract manufacturing and research, and novel products. This strategy has given Bharat Biotech the ability to earn revenues in the short and medium term while focusing on novel patent protected products for the long term. The company has the largest manufacturing capacity for making hepatitis-B (10 crore doses), typhoid vaccine (five crore doses) and rabies (80 lakh doses).

The company is planning to invest about Rs 250 crore on conducting clinical trials of seven of its products. These products include therapeutics and vaccines that are at an advanced stage of development. It has product development projects in varying stages for the vaccines and therapeutics, such as malaria, rotavirus, typhoid, Japanese encephalitis, pandemic influenza, chikungunya, and staphylococcus aureus.

Rotavac, its oral rotavirus vaccine is slated to enter phase III clinical trials in later half of 2010, with one of the first and largest phase III clinical trial in Indian history encompassing 10,000 infants. The company has invested Rs 185.4-231.7 crore ($40-50 mn) in the clinical trials, with funding assistance from Gates Foundation. The vaccine is expected to hit the market in 2011. Bharat's HNVAC, the pandemic influzenza vaccine, would have its phase III trials started by Q2 2010, making it the first cell culture vaccine for influenza to be developed indigenously.

The company's YPHVAC, conjugated typhoid vaccine, has completed phase I clinical trials. Inactivated Japanese encephalitis vaccine produced in vero cell substrate is slated to commence phase I clinical trials during Q3 2010. JENVAC promises to be a vaccine with superior safety and efficacy profile with added thermostable properties.

Lysotaphin, a biological antibiotic against Staphylococcus aureus systemic infections would have its IND filing with the US FDA during 2010. THR-100, a novel biotherapeutic against myocardial infractions would have its phase III trials commence during 2010. Phase I and phase II have already been completed in EU and North America. The company expects that the most of the products that are being tested would hit the market in the next two to three years.