Cadila in pact with Russian firm for chickenpox vaccine

New Delhi: Drug firm Cadila Healthcare on Tuesday said it has signed a technology agreement with Russian firm Pharm Aid Ltd for production of varicella vaccine used to prevent virus causing chickenpox.

Through this agreement, Zydus Cadila (group firm) gains access to public and private market segments in the Russian Federation, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan, the company said in a statement.

"Our aim has always been to bridge unmet healthcare needs by improving accessibility to preventive and novel therapies," Zydus Cadila Managing Director Sharvil Patel said.

The agreement will bring together local manufacturing, distribution and managerial capabilities of the companies.

The company said it aims to bring in a continuous supply of vaccines which could be included in the critical childhood immunization program.

The estimated demand for vaccines is 3 million doses per annum in the Russian Federation alone, it added.

Pharm Aid Ltd, a joint venture between Russian National Immunobiological Company (Nacimbio) and UAE-based Ishvan Pharmaceutical has been set up for localization of vaccine production in Russia.