India’s Serum Institute of India (SII) has entered the global race to develop what could become the first new TB vaccine in more than a century, a huge step forward in tackling one of the deadliest infectious diseases in the world.
Tuberculosis remains a global health issue with significant global consequences, yet it is preventable and treatable. The World Health Organization says the disease takes more than a million lives annually and has a disproportionate impact on poor and middle-income countries and there is a global epidemiology of TB (WHO).
India alone accounts for the world’s largest proportion of TB and the development of a good vaccine is a national and global priority.
Currently, the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine, introduced in 1921, is the only licensed vaccine against TB. BCG is effective in preventing serious TB in babies and young children, but its effectiveness in preventing pulmonary TB in adolescents and adults is quite limited. Scientists have since then spent decades searching for a better solution.
The Serum Institute, the world's largest vaccine manufacturer by volume, is collaborating with international researchers and health organizations to develop new TB vaccines. Its participation also bolsters global efforts to accelerate clinical trials and manufacturing capacity and affordable distribution if a successful vaccine gets regulatory approval.
Some vaccine candidates are currently in advanced clinical trials in different countries. These candidates rely on more modern technologies to generate stronger and longer-lasting immune responses than the century-old BCG vaccine.
Scientists say a successful vaccine for adolescents and adults could make it easier to reduce TB transmission and help countries get closer to eliminating the disease.
India’s involvement is especially important because of its experience in large-scale vaccine production. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Serum Institute demonstrated its capacity to produce billions of vaccine doses for domestic and international use. That knowledge would help if a new TB vaccine is approved for global distribution.
Health experts say an effective TB vaccine would not only save millions of lives but also reduce healthcare costs, improve productivity and support economic development in countries with high disease burdens. The vaccine could become one of the most important public health breakthroughs since the introduction of BCG more than a century ago.
The development also fits with India’s goal of eradicating tuberculosis ahead of the global target. The government has in the past years promoted screening, diagnosis, treatment and awareness campaigns and has promoted the development of diagnostics and vaccine research.
Researchers are hopeful for the vaccine to get approved, but clinical trials and regulatory reviews are still required to bring it to completion. And if one of the most promising vaccine candidates is proven safe and effective, it can change the way we fight tuberculosis worldwide.
With India’s involvement in this long-anticipated scientific challenge, India is well placed to be at the heart of a new-generation TB vaccine that will change public health and bring hope to millions of people at risk of the disease.
