Bharat Biotech’s chief Dr Krishna Ella shares his views on India’s vaccine prowess and the need for young entrepreneurs to innovate. Excerpts from an interview
Krishna Ella at Bharat Biotech’s BSL-3 facility in Hyderabad; (Photo: Bandeep Singh)
Dr Krishna Ella, chairman and managing director of Bharat Biotech, speaks to Group Editorial Director Raj Chengappa on India’s vaccine prowess and the need for young entrepreneurs to innovate. Excerpts:
Q. Why did you decide to take the indigenous route to make the Covid-19 vaccine?
For me, it was equal to India’s nuclear moment—in the past, only powerful countries had the sophisticated technology to make atom bombs, but India demonstrated that we could make them indigenously. I saw this as a similar opportunity for a new generation of entrepreneurs to demonstrate that India could be a world leader in the field of vaccinations.
Q. It takes anything from 5 to 10 years to develop a vaccine. How did you do it in a year?
The rotavirus vaccine took 17 years in the making, typhoid 10 years. So how did we succeed in making the Covid vaccine in a year? It was because there was a global requirement, so both the regulatory system and the government proactively pushed for it. This is where public-private partnership comes into play. Apart from our own development, the National Institute of Virology (NIV) helped us with quality control, standards and animal challenging studies. I have to salute all my employees, the government machinery, regulatory system and NIV. My employees worked day and night and that made the difference.
Q. You are now indigenously developing India’s first nasal vaccine for Covid-19.
I call it the ‘kiss’ vaccine not just for fun. If somebody has taken this nasal vaccine and even kisses an infected person, s/he will not get Covid. Today, we are wearing masks to prevent transmission of the virus. My nasal vaccine will help stop transmission of the virus. Injectable vaccines cannot protect the upper respiratory tract, but the nasal drop will. Our internal studies show that it will also work as a booster dose for those who have taken Covishield or Covaxin.
Q. What is your advice for young entrepreneurs?
I want the younger generation to take risks and solve problems facing society. If you do that, you will be the best innovator, the best entrepreneur. Second is self-reliance, which Prime Minister Modi calls the Atmanirbhar Bharat progamme. Our success is an inspiration for others and proof that it can be done in the country against all odds. Third, going forward, they need to produce a generic vaccine—like the Pantavalent vaccine— that Unicef wants. Fourth is innovation. We did that with the rotavirus vaccine by making it an orally administered vaccine. Young entrepreneurs need to do this kind of breakthrough stuff. India should stand for innovation. Just copying drugs made by others will not help. It is innovation that will help generate the money to pave the way for further innovation.
Q. What do you think the Indian government should do to help?
While we are taking care of India’s vaccine requirements, we should also be helping Africa, allotting 50 per cent of our vaccine production to them. There’s this perception in Africa that Indian companies want to exploit African markets but they don’t want to help solve Africa’s problems. As Indian manufacturers, we have a moral responsibility to help Africa. I am working on a vaccine for cholera for Africa. Encouragement from the government, financial help, facilitation of clinical trials and regulatory process should give innovations fast-track clearances.
Q. Lastly, what drives you?
For me, everything—breathing, eating, talking—is directed towards science. I want to excel in it. There is nothing else for me but science.
Click here for IndiaToday.in’s complete coverage of the coronavirus pandemic.
.