Vaccine maker Panacea Biotec on Thursday announced a deal with rival Serum Institute of India to manufacture a six-in-one paediatric vaccine to protect kids against six diseases, including polio, diphtheria, tetanus and hepatitis B.

Under the agreement, Serum Institute will source the Injectable Polio Vaccine (IPV) component from Panacea for the hexavalent vaccine.The Serum Institute is now entitled to manufacture and sell liquid whole cell pertussis and Salk-based Injectable Polio Vaccine (IPV) which was developed and commercialized by Panacea Biotec, a joint statement of the two vaccine makers said."In the next two years, both SII and PBL will work together to get this wP-IPV based hexavalent vaccine introduced in the National Immunization Program of the government of India and developing countries by working closely with key stakeholders including," said the statement.

Rajesh Jain, Joint Managing Director, PBL, said: "Millions of children in developing countries with an annual birth cohort of nearly 121 million will get an easy access to a fully liquid hexavalent vaccine containing six very important antigens to protect against six dreaded diseases of diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B, haemophilus influenza type B and polio."