HIP
HOOKVAC India Partnership
Objective
The HOOKVAC India Partnership (HIP) project addresses the following six main objectives:
1. To establish an EU-India academic cluster partnership to facilitate a long-term manufacturing partnership for the human hookworm vaccine and other NTD vaccines;
2. To transfer technology from European manufacturers to Indian manufacturers for NTD vaccines;
3. To improve manufacturing methods to create efficiency and economy of scale;
4. To establish a creative environment for joined development of new innovative and low-cost vaccines for NTDs and other poverty related diseases;
5. To set-up individual mobility schemes for researchers and innovators from the HOOKVAC consortium (EU/US/ based institutes) working in research and innovation to move from the European cluster to India. The individual mobility schemes will be an integral component of the cluster-to-cluster partnerships; and
6. To support and encourage visibility, mutual understanding and awareness for low-cost vaccine development for neglected tropical diseases via meetings and workshops.
Description
For people living in the poorest countries in Asia, Oceania, Latin America and Africa, a Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD) called hookworm is one of the leading causes of anaemia. Today more than 400 million people suffer from hookworm, making it one of the most common conditions among people living in poverty.
The EU funds the EU-US-Africa-based HOOKVAC consortium lead by AIGHD, which is developing the world’s first human hookworm vaccine (see www.hookvac.eu for more details). This vaccine could have a tremendous impact on the health, economic and social landscape of countries that are burdened by hookworm and other neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). However, there is no guarantee that this vaccine will make it to the patients in need when the consortium delivers a working vaccine. If public health were to rely on vaccine manufacturers in high income countries, the price of the new vaccines would be substantially higher than those already on the market. This is why the HIP consortium is working towards a vaccine that will cost less then US$1 per dose.
Partners
Q-biologicals (Belgium)
FlandersBio (Belgium)
BCM (USA)
SABIN (USA)
ABLE (India)
Funders
EuropeAid / Delegation of European Union to India
Countries
Netherlands
Belgium
India
United States