HLL to market hepatitis B, typhoid vaccines in India, abroad

New Delhi, Oct 30 (UNI) Hindustan Latex Ltd (HLL), a mini ratna company under the Health and Family Welfare Ministry, today announced its foray into marketing of the HIVAC-B and TYFEX vaccines in association with Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech International Ltd.

The new marketing venture is a first for the public sector manufacturer of contraceptive and health care aids.

The vaccines to combat Hepatitis B and typhoid, which will be marketed in India and abroad, were launched at a function by Health Secretary P K Hota here this evening.

In India one in every 20 person is a Hepatitis B virus carrier with nearly 42 million people carrying the virus.

Prevention through recombitant vaccines such as HIVAC-B is preferable to contacting the disease which is considered more deadly than HIV, as it causes acute jaundice, and can progress to liver sclerosis and cancer.

Typhoid is the fifth most communicable disease in India with children constituting about 70 per cent of the typhoid patients.

Introduction of vaccines such as TYFEX is helpful as present-day drugs are proving ineffective against the resistant strains of the typhoid bacteria.

HLL, set up in 1969, is planning to expand its portfolio in the areas of health care and contraceptives and is aiming for a turnover of Rs 1,000 crore by 2010, a company release here said.

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