DCGI allows the export of SII made Ebola vaccine for export to Uganda

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The  Drugs Controller General of India (DGCI) on 8 December 2022 approved the export of India’s first Ebola vaccine manufactured by Serum Institute of India (SII) to Uganda.

The vaccine has been developed by SII in collaboration with Oxford University, United Kingdom. This vaccine will be used for solidarity clinical trials in Uganda.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has sought collaboration with manufacturers of Ebola vaccines for the prevention of the disease and has selected ChAdOx1 biEBOV as a potential vaccine for participation in a solidarity clinical trial in Uganda.

Oxford University signed an agreement with Serum Institute of India to manufacture ChAdOx1 biEBOV.

Serum Institute of India situated in Pune is the largest vaccine manufacturer in the world.  SII makes vaccines for Covid-19, diphtheria, BCG, measles, rubella and others.

CEO of SII: Adar Poonawala

Ebola Virus 

It was first reported in 1972 in South Sudan and in a village near Ebola River in Democratic Republic of Congo. Hence it is called the Ebola virus.

The virus can spread through direct contact with an infected animal (bat or nonhuman primate) or a sick or dead person infected with Ebola virus.