Chennai, July 18: Bharat Biotech International Limited (BBIL), the Hyderabad-based biotech company, has launched REGEN-D, the indigenously developed recombinant epidermal growth factor, for treatment of diabetic foot ulcers, burns and skin grafts.

Available as two variants REGEN-D 150 for diabetic foot ulcer and REGEN-D 60 for healing burn wounds, the product comes in tubes as a topical gel application on the affected parts of the patients. REGEN-D is the result of a private-public endeavour and the company has been awarded licence to manufacture and market this biotherapeutic gel.

Developed at BBIL's manufacturing plant at the Genome Valley, Hyderabad, REGEN-D enhances cell growth, reduces wound healing time considerably with minimal scars and offers a enw mode of treatment to patients. Established in 1996 by Dr Krishna M Ella, BBIL has been a leading R&D player and contract manufacturer in biotherapeutics, especially vaccines, through collaborative partnerships. 'Though the molecules in REGEN-D are known to the world, nobody had come out with such a product in the world. With a success rate of 80-90 per cent, REGEN-D manufactured indigenously will impact the lives of vast population affected with diabetic foot ulcers and burns,' said Dr Krishna M Ella at the launch meet recently.

With India having more than 25 per cent of the world's diabetics and around 40,000 amputations occurred each year in the country due to diabetic foot ulcer, he envisaged a strong demand for his new product.

'REGEN-D 60 has a great role to play as more than 1.20 lakh deaths occur due to burns every in India. Also, the success rate for burn treatment is 30-55 per cent in India, compared to 70-90 per cent in the US and China for victims with 50 per cent burns. Heavy scarring due to burn injuries and donor skin grafting result in lack of cosmetic appeal and even in disability,' Dr Krishna said.

The biotech company has to its credit a portfolio of exclusive launches Revac-B, the world's first Cesium Chloride free vaccine for Hepatitis-B; TYPBAR vaccine for typhoid and INDIKINASE, a biotherapeutic for myocardial infarction. On pipeline are vaccines for rabies, Hepatitis A, Rotavirus and recombinant malaria. BBIL also avails grants from Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for contract R&D on children's vaccine, malaria vaccine initiative programme and is involved