Further to India's introduction of IPV in Universal immunization Programme (UIP), Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of Sanofi, announced today the launch of ShanIPV, an injectable inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) by Shri K. Chandrasekhar Rao, Hon'ble Chief Minister of Telangana. ShanIPV will be 'made in India' by Sanofi Pasteur's affiliate Shantha Biotechnics Private Limited in Hyderabad. ShanIPV is a trivalent inactivated, injectable polio vaccine.

Declared as a polio-free nation in 2014, heralding a great victory over the disease, India's current war will be waged against its reemergence. This is where ShanIPV, manufactured through technology transfer from Sanofi Pasteur, will make its contribution. India is now poised to progress to the next and final step of polio eradication, the final elimination of all vaccine-related and vaccine-derived polio viruses. This step will secure the future of millions of children in India.

Dr Shailesh Ayyangar, MD - India and VP- South Asia, Sanofi commenting on the launch said, "We are proud to further strengthen our commitment towards disease prevention and support the Indian Government's Universal immunization Programme - including polio eradication. With the introduction of IPV in the immunization schedule, our Company is playing a key role in achieving the goal of a polio-free world."

Only two countries in the world are still classified as polio endemic, meaning that wild polio virus passes routinely between members of the community. However, great progress has been made in both countries and the last case of polio in the world may possibly be only months away. India has had a very strong focus on polio eradication and this move to introduce IPV in the UIP will provide the required impetus for a polio free India.

Mr Jean-Pierre Baylet, country head - Vaccines, Sanofi Pasteur, India said, "Sanofi Pasteur has been a public health partner to India for over 20 years. We welcome the Government of India's decision to introduce IPV in the immunization program to eliminate the risk of polio virus resurgence. This is a big milestone in the Country towards ensuring a future when no child succumbs to this vaccine-preventable disease. We are very pleased that Sanofi Pasteur and Shantha Biotechnics supply vital technological know-how and are key partners to the Government of India, WHO and UNICEF for polio eradication in the Country."

In line with the WHO's Global endgame strategy, India is introducing one dose of IPV at 14 weeks of age. IPV is to be given in addition to the existing oral polio vaccine. This introduction is a critical step towards achieving a polio-free world by 2019 to meet the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) Endgame Strategic Plan.

Dr Mahesh Bhalgat, executive director and chief operating officer, Shantha Biotechnics, India said, "At Shantha, our goal is to deliver healthcare solutions, which can be accessed by the common man in India. Towards the polio eradication programme, we will manufacture massive quantities of high-quality, safe and efficacious IPV vaccine to meet all the milestones in the timeline set by the Indian Government."