Batavia Biosciences, a contract biologics manufacturer based in Leiden, The Netherlands, has received an $8 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to develop a low-cost manufacturing process for a rotavirus vaccine for developing countries. Batavia Biosciences will employ technologies such as fixed-bed, high-cell density bioreactors. Additionally, the vaccine will be based on the RV3-BB rotavirus strain, a naturally occurring attenuated strain developed by the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute.

Batavia Biosciences will develop the process in partnership with Bio Farma, an Indonesian vaccine manufacturer. Bio Farma will be responsible for market authorization and commercial manufacture of the rotavirus vaccine.

Rotavirus infection, associated with severe vomiting and diarrhea, is the second largest infectious cause of death in young children, according to information from Batavia Biosciences, which cites information from the World Health Organization that 215,000 child deaths globally occur due to rotavirus infection.

Source: Batava Biosciences