The project is expected to get underway in March 2025 and is being supported by the Gates Foundation 

Zydus Lifesciences announced its focus on developing a combination vaccine against shigellosis and typhoid. This combination vaccine, being developed for the first time in the world, underscores India’s innovation capabilities with the potential to protect against deadly enteric diseases - Typhoid and Shigella.

Zydus will conduct early-stage development, animal immunogenicity studies and regulatory preclinical toxicology studies for this combination vaccine. The project is expected to get underway in March 2025 and is being supported by the Gates Foundation.

Zydus will collaborate with a partner for the research and co-development of a combination vaccine using Zydus’ WHO-prequalified Typhoid conjugate vaccine (ZyVacTM TCV) and Shigella Vaccine from Zydus’ partner. 

Dr Sharvil Patel, MD, Zydus Lifesciences said, “We welcome this opportunity to collaborate with the Gates Foundation and our partner on the development of the TCV Shigella combination vaccine. It marks yet another step towards our ongoing commitment to addressing critical gaps through innovation. By collaborating with key partners and leveraging our research and development capabilities to provide novel solutions, we can bridge unmet needs through high-quality, and affordable vaccines that can create a sustainable impact in global public health.”

M Hari Menon, Country Director, Gates Foundation, added, “We are excited about supporting this initiative by Zydus, which would leverage India’s science and innovation expertise, and has the potential to contribute significantly to protecting children, not just in India, but also in other parts of the world."