June 14, 2025, Hyderabad: Bharat Biotech, the Hyderabad-based vaccine manufacturer known for its work on vaccines like Covaxin and Rotavac, has signed a new deal with pharma company GSK to further develop a promising Shigella vaccine candidate, altSonflex1-2-3. This move could help reduce cases of severe bacterial diarrhoea in young children, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
The vaccine, originally developed by GSK, is based on an innovative platform called GMMA (Generalized Modules for Membrane Antigens). This technology makes vaccine production simpler and more cost-effective—an important factor when aiming for wide global access.
There is currently no licensed vaccine available for Shigella, even though it’s a major cause of diarrhoea-related illness and death in children under five. Shigella infections are also becoming harder to treat due to increasing antibiotic resistance. This makes prevention through vaccination more urgent.
The deal means Bharat Biotech will take the lead on the vaccine’s next stages: large clinical trials, regulatory approvals, and manufacturing at scale. GSK will continue to support the project by helping design trials and working on global delivery plans.
Early trials have shown that altSonflex1-2-3 is safe and creates a strong immune response, including in 9-month-old infants—the main group at risk.
Key Highlights of Shigella Vaccine Candidate and its Advancement
- Bharat Biotech partners with GSK to develop and scale the Shigella vaccine candidate altSonflex1-2-3.
- Shigella is a leading cause of diarrhoeal illness in children under five, especially in low- and middle-income countries.
- No licensed vaccine currently exists for Shigella; the disease is becoming harder to treat due to rising antimicrobial resistance.
- altSonflex1-2-3 uses GMMA technology, enabling simpler, lower-cost manufacturing and broad serotype coverage.
- Early trials show strong immune response and safety, including in infants—the main target group.
- Bharat Biotech will lead Phase 3 trials, manufacturing, and global rollout, while GSK supports with technical expertise and access strategy.
- The collaboration reinforces efforts to deliver affordable, scalable vaccines for neglected diseases.
For Bharat Biotech, this partnership fits well with its history of building affordable vaccines for infectious diseases. For startups in the health tech and biotech sectors, this story is a good reminder of the value in collaborations that bring strong science, global health priorities, and scalable manufacturing together.
With drug-resistant infections rising worldwide, this partnership could also be an important step toward reducing pressure on antibiotics and improving child health outcomes in regions where medical infrastructure is stretched.
