The Atal Incubation Centre (AIC) at the CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) is gearing up for larger-scale trials of a new vaccine aimed at fighting Chikungunya, a viral disease that poses a significant health risk in India.
Chikungunya has no approved vaccine yet, making this project particularly important. The AIC-CCMB has already shown success with its vaccine during initial lab experiments. These tests, conducted on animals, demonstrated that the vaccine can trigger the body to produce antibodies against the virus.
N. Madhusudhana Rao, the Chief Executive Officer of AIC-CCMB, shared that the next step will involve infecting animals with Chikungunya to see if the vaccine helps reduce the virus levels in their bodies.
The use of mRNA technology for vaccines has gained attention since the COVID-19 pandemic. The vaccines developed by Pfizer and Moderna also use this technology, which helps train the immune system to combat infections effectively. The mRNA vaccine for Chikungunya is based on similar principles and is considered to be safe.
Despite the encouraging results, Mr. Rao noted a lack of interest from various companies in India and abroad to develop local vaccine technologies. He expressed disappointment that many firms prefer to pay high fees for foreign technologies rather than collaborate with local innovators.
Alongside Chikungunya, AIC-CCMB has also conducted initial trials for an mRNA vaccine against tuberculosis (TB). However, funding remains a challenge, and the center is exploring various options to secure the necessary financial support for further research.
As the AIC-CCMB moves forward with its trials, the hope is that a successful vaccine can be developed, improving public health and addressing the challenges posed by these diseases in India.
This development could mark a significant step towards managing Chikungunya and potentially other viral diseases in the future, as the scientific community feels optimistic about the effectiveness of mRNA technology.
