Zydus Cadila partners Takeda for chikungunya vaccine

New Delhi : Drug firm Zydus Cadila announced partnership with Japan's Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd to develop vaccine for chikungunya.

"The broad-based agreement includes early stage development to the final commercialisation of the vaccine. There is currently no vaccine to prevent or medicine to treat chikungunya virus infection," Zydus Cadila's group firm Cadila Healthcare said in a BSE filing.

Zydus Group Chairman and MD Pankaj R Patel said: "By partnering with Takeda on this very important research and development initiative and leveraging our development capabilities, we will be taking an all important step to prevent the disease burden."

Cadila Healthcare said terms of the agreement are not disclosed, but it is expected that this partnership will boost access to medicines in the future through this novel partnership.

"Takeda is the center of important vaccine related activities in global health and emerging infectious diseases. This is another demonstration of Takeda's major commitment to the health of children in developing countries and elsewhere around the world," Takeda Vaccines Chief Operating Officer Rahul Singhvi said.

Shares of Cadila Healthcare were trading 3.18 per cent higher at Rs 399.40 on BSE.