Zydus Lifesciences announced today it will develop the world’s first combination vaccine targeting both typhoid fever and shigellosis, with financial backing from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The project is scheduled to begin this month.

The shares of Zydus Lifesciences Limited were trading flat at ₹870.90 on the NSE today at 1.45 pm.

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The vaccine aims to protect children under five years against two deadly enteric diseases in areas where both are endemic. Zydus will utilise its WHO-prequalified Typhoid conjugate vaccine (ZyVac TCV) and collaborate with an unnamed partner providing the shigella vaccine component.

“By collaborating with key partners and leveraging our research capabilities, we can bridge unmet needs through high-quality, affordable vaccines,” said Dr. Sharvil Patel, Managing Director of Zydus Lifesciences.

Sh. M Hari Menon, Country Director for the Gates Foundation, expressed enthusiasm for the initiative, noting it “has the potential to contribute significantly to protecting children, not just in India, but also in other parts of the world.”

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The development comes as childhood immunisation schedules grow increasingly crowded and expensive. According to WHO data, typhoid causes an estimated 135,000-230,000 deaths annually, while shigella was the second-leading cause of diarrheal mortality in 2016, accounting for approximately 212,000 deaths globally.

Zydus will conduct early-stage development, animal studies and preclinical toxicology work for the combination vaccine.