Monkeypox: Center calls for bids to develop vaccines, diagnostic kits

The Whole country Institute for Frontier Life and Virology (NIV) in Pune ICMR The monkeypox virus has been isolated from the patient’s clinical specimens and can pave the way for the development of diagnostic kits and vaccines for the disease, the top health research institute said Wednesday.

As India isolates the virus, the Indian Medical Research Council (ICMR) also invites a statement of interest (EoI) to interested Indian vaccine makers, pharmaceutical companies, and partners in the in vitro diagnostic industry for the development of unique vaccines. Proposed to hand over the shares to India. For diagnostic kits for the detection of monkeypox and disease.

To date, development is underway as India reports four cases of monkeypox (three cases from Kerala and one case from Delhi).

” Whole country The Virology Institute has succeeded in isolating the monkeypox virus strain from a sample of infected Indian patients. This could help in the development of diagnostic kits and future vaccines, “Dr. Pragya Yadav, senior NIV scientist, told PTI.

“Smallpox live attenuated vaccines have been successful in herd immunity in the past. Similar approaches can be tried on new platforms to create a vaccine against monkeypox. Virus isolation is in many other directions. It will enhance India’s ability to carry out research and development, “she said.

Currently, the fluid in skin lesions has the highest viral titer and is used to isolate the virus. The monkeypox virus is an enveloped double-stranded DNA virus with two different gene clades, the Central African (Congo Basin) clade and the West African clade, Dr. Yadav said.

“Recent outbreaks that have affected some countries and led to concerns have been caused by West African strains, which are less severe than previously reported Congolese strains. The genomic sequence of the Indian strain is It is 99.85% consistent with West African stocks and is distributed worldwide, “explained Dr. Yadab.

The EoI documentation states: ICMR Research on monkeypox virus strains / isolates, as well as manufacturing activities using the characteristic isolates of monkeypox virus, in collaboration in a public-private partnership mode for the development of vaccine candidates for monkeypox disease. We would like to make it available for verification of development. Diagnosis of infectious diseases.

” ICMR Experienced vaccine manufacturers and in vitro based on fixed-term contract terms for R & D and manufacturing activities for co-development and co-development due to possession of a characterized monkeypox virus isolate / strain We are ready to work with diagnostic (IVD) manufacturers on a loyalty basis. Verification of five potential vaccine candidates for monkeypox and development of a diagnostic kit (IVD) for the detection of monkeypox virus that will lead to product development, “said the EoI document.

“Companies / organizations are entitled to further R & D, manufacture, sale and commercialization of the final product’Vaccine Candidate / IVD’for monkey porosity, based on a defined agreement,” the document said. rice field. ..

The ICMR reserves all intellectual property and commercialization rights for monkeypox virus isolates and methods / protocols for their purification, propagation and characterization, the EoI document states.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared monkeypox a global public health emergency of international concern on Saturday. Worldwide, more than 16,000 cases of monkeypox have been reported from 75 countries, and 5 people have died so far.

According to the WHO, monkeypox is a zoonotic viral infection (a virus that is transmitted from animals to humans) and is clinically less severe, but presents with symptoms similar to smallpox.

Monkeypox usually presents with fever, a rash, and swollen lymph nodes, which can cause a variety of complications. This is a self-limited illness that usually lasts for 2-4 weeks.

The Center’s Guidelines for the Management of Monkeypox states that human-to-human transmission occurs primarily through large respiratory droplets, which generally require long-term close contact.

It can also be transmitted by direct contact with body fluids or lesions or by indirect contact with lesions such as contaminated clothing or linen of infected persons. Animal-to-human transmission can be caused by bites or scratches on infected animals, or by the preparation of bushmeat.

The incubation period is usually 6 to 13 days, and the case fatality rate of monkeypox has historically been up to 11% in the general population and higher in children. These days, the case fatality rate is about 3-6 percent.

Symptoms usually include lesions that begin within 1 to 3 days of fever and last for about 2 to 4 weeks, and are often described as painful until the itchy healing stage. According to the guidelines, the prominent preference for palms and soles is characteristic of monkeypox.

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