Hyderabad, Mar. 6: The Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech International Ltd, a vaccine manufacturer, has tied up with Novavax, Inc., a Nasdaq-listed biopharmaceutical firm, to jointly develop a vaccine for pandemic influenza (avian flu) vaccine for the Indian and ASEAN markets. Bharat Biotech expects to begin clinical trials on the vaccine in India in the next six months, company officials said, adding that die vaccine could be in the market in the next two years.

Bharat Biotech chairman and MD Krishna M. Ella said that under the agreement with Novavax, BBIL will fund all preclinical and clinical development. It will work with Novavax on optimal manufacturing processes, and be responsible for the   commercialisation   of the vaccine. In return Novavax will receive unrestricted access to all preclinical and clinical data, and a royalty on all sales.

The vaccine development programme will be using Novavax's Virus Like Particle Technology.

BBIL president Krishna Mohan said the company will be investing between $25 million-$30 million for the development of the influenza vaccine.