The National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases (NICED) and Hilleman Laboratories on Wednesday inked an MoU to develop and commercialise Shigella vaccines and other enteric vaccines for diarrhoeal diseases.

Shigella is the second most fatal organism after Rotavirus that causes severe diarrhoea in children with no approved vaccine available at this time. Hilleman Laboratories said that the agreement is an effort of their mission to make affordable vaccines for the developing world population.

Indian Council of Medical Research Director General Soumya Swaminathan said: "This is a step in a new direction. India has immense potential in clinical research, drug and device manufacturing and we would like to see more of these types of partnerships to happen within the country to realise the 'Make in India' dream. 

"We are keen that ICMR becomes more collaborative and partners with organisations in this direction and mutually expand capacities through cross-functional partners." Thee NICED, which comes under the ICMR, is responsible for performing Aresearch and developing strategies for treatment, prevention and control of enteric infections and HIV/AIDS.