The race to come up with a vaccine that could fight Zika virus is now on, but scientists admit that it's not going to be easy. However, Indian scientists are claiming otherwise.
The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed on Monday that Zika virus, which causes neonatal birth defects, is now an international public health emergency, according to the New York Times.
Scientists from around the world have pledged to fast-track the research. U.S. National Institutes of Health, Brazil's Butantan Institute and the Public Health Agency of Canada have already started their research, according to Reuters. Biotech firm NewLink Genetics and Merck & Co, who are behind the successful Ebola vaccine, are also working on a possible solution.
Large Pharmaceutical companies like Sanofi, GlaxoSmithKline and Japan's Takeda Pharmaceutical are also in the race to develop the Zika Virus vaccine.
However, despite technological advancements, Scientists confessed that there are many challenges to the development of a vaccine.
"The target profile is women who are pregnant or who are planning to get pregnant - which is about the highest bar there is for safety," said Dr. Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, according to The Guardian.
"Clinical trials won't go quickly and we won't have a vaccine in time for this epidemic. You'd need to test a vaccine on adult non-pregnant populations and then move slowly to pregnant women. Ideally, you'd do catch-up vaccinations of women of reproductive age as you do with rubella but the problem is that Zika is marching so quickly through the western hemisphere. You may not have a vaccinated cohort for a couple of years."
Meanwhile, Bharat Biotech Ltd., in India, claimed that they already have a possible Zika virus vaccine. They even said that they actually have two, according to Reuters.
Dr. Krishna Ella, Chairman and Managing Director, Bharat Biotech Ltd. further said that the company can possibly make one million doses and that they aim to provide help to their fellow BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) member country, Brazil.
But, she also admitted that the vaccine will also need to undergo further animal trials, which could take some time. Thus, they are seeking support from the government and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). ICMR has already offered help, as reported by NDTV.
