New Delhi: Monkeypox virus strain in India has been isolated by the Indian Council of Medical Research – National Institute of Virology, Pune. The institute has planned to carry out an Expression of Interest (EOI), proposing to transfer the strain to industry partners for the development of a local vaccine and diagnostic kit for the disease, reported senior Health Ministry officials.

Reportedly, isolation of the virus is considered to be the first step toward the development of vaccines, drugs, and rapid diagnostic kits in the country.

“ICMR-NIV Pune has successfully isolated and cultured the Monkeypox virus strain from the samples of infected Indian patients. Genomic sequence of the Indian strains has 99.85% match with the West African strain circulating globally,’’ said the official.

Moreover, there are two types of Monkeypox viruses. One kind originated in Central Africa while the other in West Africa. The current outbreak across the world is caused by the less severe West African type.

The EOI document of ICMR stated that it includes all the Intellectual Property Rights and Commercialisation Rights on the Monkeypox virus isolates and also on its method/protocols for purification, propagation, and characterization. Notably, ICMR is lawfully can enter into any sort of non-exclusive agreements with experienced Drug/Pharma/Vaccine/IVD manufacturers through certain agreements for undertaking R&D as well as manufacturing activities using characterized monkeypox virus isolates of ICMR for the making of the vaccine against the virus or diagnostic kit, referred to as the ‘Product(s).’

Besides, the firms and organizations will also be given rights to carry out R&D, manufacture, sell, and commercialize the end product(s) ‘vaccine candidate/IVD’ against the monkeypox virus under the defined agreement.

“Agreement following EoI will be executed on “Non-Exclusive” basis with single/multiple firms, due to the extensive demand of monkeypox virus isolates, which is being envisaged to develop vaccine candidates/IVD kits,’’ said the EOI.

World Health Organisation has defined monkeypox as a self-limited disease with symptoms lasting for two or four weeks. However, severe cases can also occur. The case fatality ratio has been around 3-6%. Moreover, it is transmitted through close contact with an infected person or animal or with material contaminated with the virus. Researches have found that the outbreak “is concentrated among men who have sex with men, especially those with multiple sexual partners.” Monkeypox is a viral zoonotic disease.