Rabishield –the first monoclonal antibody drug that is a fast acting anti-rabies vaccine is launched in India. It is developed by Pune-based Serum Institute of India and US-based Mass Biologics of the University of Massachusetts Medical School.
Features
- Vaccines used currently for rabies takes 14 days for producing antibodies The virus can reach the brain within 14 days if the dog bite is severe or closer to the head
- But Rabishield is a fast acting anti-rabies vaccine which produces antibodies immediately and can be used for severe dog bites
- It is the first monoclonal antibody to be developed in laboratory setup
- This vaccine precludes chances of transmitting blood-borne infections present in rabies immunoglobulin
- The drug has been developed using recombinant DNA technology that includes inserting DNA encoding antigen to the microbial DNA of cells in the body to stimulate immune response
- It is 25% cheaper than the current hRIG vaccines which are costlier and not available in India
- The new drug when used along with rabies vaccine can effectively replace hRIG making it as a cost effective treatment
- The vaccine has been tested for a span of 9 years and it proved to be safe and effective told SII chief director Adan Poonawala
Points to note
- Around 55000 death take place every year due to rabies in the Asia and Africa among which 20000 take place in India
- The hRIG vaccines used at present are costlier at a rate of $40 which is unaffordable by the rural populations
- The new drug is cheaper and it is a fast acting vaccine compared to the hRIG
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