Pune-based Venkateshwara Hatcheries (VH) Group is all set to launch a vaccine for Foot and Mouth Disease. The vaccine will be manufactured at BV Biologicals, a new entity of the VH group created at the Hinjewadi Biotech Park. About 40 percent of the vaccine will be exported. The company is investing more than Rs 30 crore acquiring state-of-the-art biotech tools to improve animal health care systems.

Anuradha Desai, chairperson of VH Group, said that the new biotech plant will be commissioned in June this year. "We will continue to invest on advanced biotech tools for human health care and also sustainable medical healthcare-based products for use by the masses. We have always been producing vaccines to keep our poultry healthy. Now, we want to extend it to cattle because the raw material is the same," she explained.

Desai said that the company is building new labs in 13 cities across the country in Haryana, Rajasthan, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh to facilitate disease surveillance. "The facilities will put in clean herd management practices in place, support the national animal food policy and open up international markets in animal produce," she added.

OP Singh, VHPL vaccine and AHP division, confirmed that recent advances made globally were being tied up with the VH Group's R&D programs with a concrete product rollout plan, to ensure availability of affordable healthcare products for the masses. He also confirmed the company's business involvement on certain lead molecules to revolutionize current therapeutic segment of many major challenging diseases.

- CyberMedia News