Pivotal Phase III clinical study results from first rotavirus vaccine developed in India announced today

Today India's Department of Biotechnology and Bharat Biotech announced positive results from the Phase III clinical trial of ROTAVAC®, the first-ever rotavirus vaccine developed and manufactured in India and at the lowest price available on the market of US $1.00 per dose.  See latest press release here: http://www.defeatdd.org/rotavac-clinical-trial-results

 

The trial showed that ROTAVAC® significantly reduced rotavirus – the leading cause of diarrhea among infants worldwide – by more than half during the first year of life when children face the greatest risk of rotavirus infection. The vaccine also showed impact beyond rotavirus, protecting against severe diarrhea of any cause, important because diarrhea is a leading killer and cause of child illness around the world.

 

Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, said of the effort, "Vaccines work to save and protect children from diseases like rotavirus for a lifetime. This public-private partnership is an exemplary model of how to develop affordable technologies that save lives."

 

Additional supportive statements from leading U.S. and international experts can be found here:  http://www.defeatdd.org/rotavac-clinical-trial-results. 

 

With vaccine development costs shared by several partners, Bharat Biotech was able to commit to a price of US $1.00/dose for ROTAVAC®, the lowest price available for rotavirus available on the market. ROTAVAC was developed through an innovative partnership bringing together the U.S. and Indian governments along with public and private sector partners from the U.S., India, the UK and Norway.