BHARAT Biotech International Ltd here has formally launched an indigenously developed hepatitis-B vaccine — Revac-B. The company had adopted the recombinant DNA technology route and used saccharomyces cervisiae which is also known as baker's yeast in the production of this vaccine.

According to Dr Krishna Ella, the managing director of the company, this is the only strain licensed for use by the US Food and Drug Administration, the World Health Organisation and the EC Drug Regulation Authorities.

The product would be available in the markets of southern India in the second week of November and in other parts of the country by the end of November.

The company has priced its vaccine at Rs 230 per adult dose, while the cost for the paediatric dose is Rs 160.

The company has set up a Rs 12.2 crore project in the Ranga Reddy district of the state to produce eight million doses of hepatitis-B vaccine per annum.

Dr Krishna added that his company and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, were jointly conducting research to develop a third generation therapeutic vaccine for hepatitis-B.

Other products to treat heart attack, rabies, diabetes and transplant rejection were in various stages of development by the company.