21 July,2009 09:12 AM IST | | Vivek Sabnis
Research on H1N1 vaccine begins on eggs imported from Germany that are ideal for breeding the virus in laboratory conditions
Researchers at the Serum Institute of India Ltd (SIIL) are conducting pre-clinical tests for developing the H1N1 vaccine on chicken eggs imported from Germany to understand the strain's growth in humans.
Dr Suresh Jadhav, executive director of SIIL, told MiD DAY that the institute received the H1N1 virus strains yesterday.u00a0 "We have deputed a team of 15 scientists to conduct the experiment in a specially treated laboratory. We are monitoring the manner and speed at which the swine flu virus spreads in the eggs for two to three months. It might take us around a year and a half before we are able to develop the actual vaccine," Jadhav said.
More tests
SIIL sources told MiD DAY that following the ongoing tests, pre-clinical and clinical tests to gauge the efficacy of the vaccine will be conducted. "Actual production will only commence after the vaccine is tested on animals and later on human beings. The quantity to be produced will depend on the demand for the vaccine," Jadhav added.
SIIL has vacated an old building on its property and turned it into a high-tech lab for undertaking research for creating an H1N1 vaccine.
"We have reserved over 10,000 square feet area," said Dr Rajeev Dhere, senior director (vaccine) at SIIL, who alsou00a0 heads the team making H1N1
vaccine.
