Panacea Biotec pre-qualified by WHO to supply children's immunisation drug

Panacea Biotec Ltd has been pre-qualified by WHO for supplying its combination vaccines for paediatric immunization - EasyFour (DTP + Hib) and Ecovac (DTP + Hep B).

In a notification, WHO has advised the UN procuring agencies regarding the acceptability of these vaccines globally. The company is already a pre-qualified supplier of OPV and Hepatitis-B vacuities to UN agencies.

The company says its 'Easy Four' & 'Easy Five' is the world's first fully liquid vaccine started three years back. It has partnered with WHO and UNICEF in their mission of maximising coverage of vaccines under the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) for more than a decade.

The combined demand of all combination paediatric vaccines worldwide was valued at $600 million in 2005 and estimated to grow to $1.6 billion by 2012.