Hyderabad, Dec 28 (IANS): Leading biotechnology company Indian Immunologicals Limited (IIL) has started construction of its new greenfield veterinary vaccine facility at Genome Valley in Hyderabad.

This facility will manufacture the Foot and Mouth Disease Vaccine (FMD-Vac) as well as Foot and Mouth Disease + Haemorrhagic Septicaemia Vaccine (FMD+HS-Vac) in Hyderabad’s Genome valley.

This unit will have a BSL3 facility for the manufacture of drug substances and a fill-finish capability for the production of both drug products FMD vaccine and the FMD+HS vaccine, the company said on Thursday.

The proposed facility has a capacity of 150 million doses per annum of FMD vaccine or FMD+HS vaccine each. With an investment of approximately Rs 700 crore, the proposed facility is expected to create more than 750 direct and indirect jobs.

Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation Ltd (TSIIC), a Telangana government undertaking, had allotted the land to IIL at Biotech Park, Phase III, Karkapatla, Siddipet district.

Indian Immunologicals Limited is a subsidiary of the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB).

In its more than 40 years of journey, IIL has carved a niche space as a leading “One Health” organisation, manufacturing animal and human vaccines.

IIL also exports its products to more than 60 countries across the globe.

Chairman of NDDB and IIL, Dr. Meenesh Shah led the groundbreaking ceremony in the presence of IIL board members, employees, and officials from NDDB.

“This new vaccine manufacturing facility in Hyderabad is dedicated to the nation and will certainly aid in the eradication of Foot and Mouth Disease in our country. IIL's ability to discover and manufacture affordable vaccines has saved the exchequer several thousand crores of rupees,” he said.

Dr. K Anand Kumar, Managing Director, IIL noted that IIL is the largest supplier of FMD vaccine to government of India’s prestigious Livestock Health Disease Control Programme (LHDCP).

“We are in an exponential growth phase and expected to grow 40 per cent this year alone. In order to sustain the momentum, IIL is seriously considering making additional investments in building infrastructure within India and in other emerging geographies including Africa in a manner to develop tools that will help in control and eradication of diseases,” he said.