Pune-based Serum Institute of India, India’s big­gest exporter of vaccines and immuno-biologicals, se­lling them in 138 countries, will produce and sell the country’s first indigen­ous intra-nasal (nasal sp­ray) vaccine for the dreaded swine flu in the Indian and overseas markets within a week, its top official said.

The company, recognis­ed by World Health Organisation has got orders from eight to nine countries, will also manufacture the intra-muscular (injection) vaccine within a week. While the company obtained the green signal from the DCGI last Friday to produce the intra-nasal vaccine, it is expecting permission for the other injectable vaccine any day this week.

“Our state-of-the-art world class manufacturing laboratory in Pune will begin commercial production of India’s first indigenously developed intra-nasal (nasal spray) H1N1 vaccine within a week and make it available in the Indian and overseas markets,” SS Jadhav, executive director, Serum Institute of India, told Financial Chronicle. The nasal spray priced initially at Rs 150 could be given to any patient above three years, he added.

A single dose of intra-muscular vaccine manufactured by Zydus Cadila pharmaceutical firm based in Ahmedabad costs Rs 350.

The new laboratory built last year after the outbreak of the dreaded disease last year with an investment of over Rs 45 crore has the capacity to produce 50 million doses annually.

“If there is demand from the market, we can double the manufacturing capacity. If the volume is high we can also lower the price of the vaccine,” Jadhav said.

He said the firm got a firm order from the government of India to supply the vaccines worth two million dollars. “We will supply the vaccines within three-four months,” Jadhav said.

He said 10 per cent of the H1N1 vaccines produ­ced in Pune have been committed to WHO which will distributes these to over 130 nations through its agen­cy UNICEF and Pan American Health Organisation.