Hyderabad: Indian Immunologicals inks MoU with CIFA for fish vaccine

Hyderabad: Indian Immunologicals Limited (IIL), a leading vaccine manufacturer will collaborate with the Central Institute of Fisheries Education(CIFE), Mumbai, to develop a vaccine against common bacterial diseases in freshwater fish.

IIL signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with CIEF on Monday after it recently forayed into the aquamarine business by launching products for the aquaculture health market in October 2022.

By launching the freshwater fish vaccines in India, IIL plans to curb economic losses due to infections caused by several bacterial, viral, fungal, and other aetiological agents which are currently being managed by anti-infectives and other conventional measures with varying degrees of success.

IIL will explore solutions for Indian fish farmers, while CIFE will provide technology for two inactivated bacterial vaccines, one for Columnaris Disease (a serious condition affecting numerous freshwater fish species), and the other for Edwardsiellosis (cause a high degree of mortality).

Both diseases are extremely common in freshwater fishes and lead to severe economic losses while they are generally considered to be ubiquitous.

IIL’s managing director Dr K Anand Kumar while speaking on the occasion said, “IIL has introduced several innovative veterinary vaccines first to the world, like Porcine Cysticercosis vaccine, FMD+HS+BQ combination vaccine and Theileria vaccine.”

“IIL is again the first in India to get to fish vaccines. We are committed to introducing more and more products for the aquaculture market and help shrimp and fish growers to increase their productivity and protect fish schools from various diseases,” the doctor added.

Director and vice-chancellor of CIFE Dr CN Ravishankar said, “In support to India’s Blue Revolution, I am glad that CIFE and IIL have come together to partner in developing India’s first bacterial fish vaccine.”