Odisha plans to set up an advanced vaccine manufacturing unit at Andharua on the outskirts of the city. The unit will work on the innovation and production of improved vaccines for different diseases, including malaria and Covid-19.
The state government on Saturday inaugurated the Virus Research and Diagnostic laboratory at the SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack.
Hyderabad-based M/s Bharat Biotech International Ltd (BBIL) will play the sheet-anchor’s role in setting up a ‘state of art’ biotech incubation centre in the state where common facilities and an IT corridor will also be set up to promote local start-ups. The Odisha government will provide full support to entrepreneurs willing to invest in these areas.
The decision to open a vaccine manufacturing unit comes at a time when the state is battling the corona pandemic and scouting for a potent vaccine against the disease. Health workers will be given the vaccine on a priority basis once it is available. Covid-19 has so far claimed 1,410 lives, including doctors, public representatives, police personnel and journalists.
These decisions were taken at a high-level meeting chaired by chief secretary Asit Tripathy on Friday evening. He directed officials to commence ground level construction work for these projects within a fortnight so that production could commence within schedule time.
“We have already identified the land. For the Biotech Park land is available at Andharua. The building plan as per the design has also been approved,” said secretary Skill Development and Technical Education and Chairman & MD, Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (IDCO), Sanjay Kumar Singh.
Officials said that required statutory clearances and pollution control board permission has been availed for setting up the vaccine unit.
“The start-ups in Odisha are doing well and many of them have already acquired patents for their innovations. As of now around 774 start-ups are operating in various incubation centers out of which around 65 incubates have acquired patent, trademark and copyright. Around 75 start-ups are incubating in biotech and health sector,” said secretary, science and technology, Santosh Sarangi.
Chairman and MD BBIL Dr Krishna Ella said, “Ours is a multidimensional biotechnology company specializing in manufacture of vaccines and bio-therapeutics. The company has taken up the development and production of new or improved vaccines against severe Rotavirus Diarrhoea, Malaria, Japanese Encephalitis, Rabies, Pandemic Influenza and drug resistant Staphylococcus aureus. The unit at Andharua in Bhubaneswar will produce ten types of vaccines, including malaria and Covid vaccine. The total investment will be around Rs 300 crore. Best possible technology will be used in this unit.”
