Bharat Biotech, in collaboration with Biofabri, has initiated clinical trials for the groundbreaking tuberculosis (TB) vaccine MTBVAC in India. This development marks a significant milestone in the global effort to combat TB, a disease that claims over 1.6 million lives annually worldwide.

MTBVAC, derived from a human strain of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria, is poised to offer a more effective and durable solution compared to the century-old BCG vaccine, which currently provides limited protection against pulmonary TB.

The clinical trials will evaluate MTBVAC’s safety, immune response, and efficacy in preventing TB among adults and adolescents. This research is of paramount importance, given that India bears the highest burden of TB cases globally.

“After more than three decades of research, it is a giant step to test in adults and adolescents in the country where 28 per cent of the world’s TB cases accumulate,” said Esteban Rodriguez, CEO of Biofabri. He also highlighted the urgent need for increased efforts and funding to combat TB effectively.

“Our quest for a more effective vaccine against Tuberculosis received a big boost today, with clinical trials in India,” stated Krishna Ella, Executive Chairman of Bharat Biotech. He added that this step brings them closer to their goal of developing TB vaccines to prevent disease in adults and adolescents.

MTBVAC’s development is the result of a global public-private partnership, with funding and support from entities such as the European Union, the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the United States.

As TB remains one of the leading infectious causes of death globally, especially in India, the commencement of clinical trials for MTBVAC signifies a ray of hope in the ongoing battle against this deadly disease.

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