It is true that H1N1 flu has not been able to make India kowtow before it but the same country is leaving no stone unturned to stub it out. In this regard the Pune-based Serum Institute of India is taking the initiative in conjunction with Ocimum Biosolutions and Dr. Suresh Mittal, a researcher in Purdue University. It is to be noted that the dreadful H1N1 flu is unabated and according to WHO, the virus has the potency to victimize up to two billion people throughout the world if the current outbreak turns into a pandemic.

What makes Serum Institute enter the scenario? Well, it was selected by WHO to develop a vaccine to prevent the H1N1 flu. As indicated by Suresh Jadhav, Executive Director, Serum, WHO had selected 12-13 akin companies from all over the world and Serum is the only Indian institute in the list. “Serum was already working with WHO to develop a vaccine for avian flu and that is the reason we got this new project”, adds Jadhav.

Has there been any development? Speaking on this Suresh Jadhav stated, “We will be getting the samples in another three weeks and if the testing goes as per plan, we can have the vaccine by 4-5 months.” On the other hand, as stated by Jadhav, there were at first eight scientists working on the project, but now another five scientists may be added. “Our objective is to develop around 100 million doses”, adds Jadhav.

Let’s concentrate on Ocimum Biosolutions then. It is another Indian company that has introduced a microarray based test, for the prompt detection of H1N1 virus. It has been learnt that the test will be conducted on the updated version of the custom made OciChip platform that was used during the avian flu outbreak, three years ago. It is worthwhile to mention, in this context, that Dr. Suresh Mittal has by now received gene samples of the H1N1 virus and has started working on it, in his laboratory. He is hopeful that within a month there may be considerable development of a vaccine for testing.