Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech International Limited (BBIL) has announced the launch of HILLCHOL (BBV131), a novel single-strain Oral Cholera Vaccine (OCV). HILLCHOL was developed by Bharat Biotech under license from Hilleman Laboratories (funded by Merck, USA and Wellcome Trust, UK), to combat cholera, a significant advancement in global health.

Currently, only one manufacturer supplies OCVs worldwide, resulting in a yearly deficit of ~40 million doses. To mitigate this global shortage of oral cholera vaccine, Bharat Biotech has established large-scale manufacturing facilities in Hyderabad and Bhubaneswar with a capacity to produce up to 200 million doses of HILLCHOL.

While cholera is preventable and treatable, global cases and deaths have risen steadily since 2021. From early 2023 to March this year, 824,479 cases and 5,900 deaths were reported in 31 countries.

HILLCHOL vaccine is administered orally on Day 0 and Day 14 and is suitable for individuals older than one year. It is presented as a single-dose respule and should be stored between +2°C and +8°C. HILLCHOL is presented in a mono-multidose format, one of the first such presentations for vaccines.

The launch of the HILLCHOL vaccine is the result of extensive international collaboration involving Hilleman Laboratories, Bharat Biotech, the University of Gothenburg and Gotovax AB.

Ever since it was founded by Wellcome and MSD, Hilleman Laboratories is proud of its role in this joint effort and its dedication to advancing global health equity through affordable, high-impact and sustainable solutions for those who are most susceptible to this disease.