On Offing: Advanced Vaccine Manufacturing soon at Andharua

Bhubaneswar: An advanced and vibrant vaccine manufacturing unit was put on fast track with Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy resolving the issues today in a high level meeting held on digital mode from State Lokseba Bhawan wherein Principal Secretary Science and Technology Santosh Sadangi presented the updates for discussion.

While resolving the issues, Chief Secretary Tripathy directed to start the ground level construction work within a fortnight and commence production within the schedule time.

Further, Tripathy directed the anchor developer Bharat Biotech International Ltd (BBIL) to set up a ‘state of art’ biotech incubation center, common facilities and IT corridor along with the first phase construction of the industry. The company was requested to promote the local startups.

Secretary Skill Development and Technical Education and Chairman & Managing Director IDCO Sanjay Kumar Singh appraised, “The land is readily available at Biotech Park, Andharua for ground breaking works. The building plan as per the design has also been approved”.

Principal Secretary Sadangi said, “In the meanwhile the required statutory clearances and pollution control board permission has been availed for setting up the unit”. Secretary Sri Singh further appraised, “The startups in Odisha are doing well and many of them have already acquired patent of their innovations. As of now around 774 startups are operating in various incubation centers out of whom around 65 incubates have acquired patent, trade mark and copy writ etc. Around 75 startups are incubating in biotech and health sector”.

Presenting their preparedness, Chairman and Managing Director BBIL Dr Krishna Ella said, “Ours is a multidimensional biotechnology company specializing in manufacture of vaccines and bio-therapeutics. The company has taken up the development and production of new or improved vaccines against severe Rotavirus Diarrhea, Malaria, Japanese Encephalitis, Rabies, Pandemic Influenza and drug resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Its unit at Andharua of Bhubaneswar would produce ten types of vaccines including malaria and covid vaccine. The total investment would be around Rs.300 cr. Best of the technology will be put in the unit”.

Chief Secretary Tripathy assured that the company would be provided all support for future expansion of the unit at Andharua.

Development Commissioner and Additional Chief Secretary Sri Suresh Chandra Mohapatra, Director Indian Institute of Life Sciences Dr Ajay Parida, Senior officers from the department of Science & Technology, IDCO, KIIT Biotech Incubation Center participated in the deliberations.