India's Initiative to Create Indigenous Vaccines and Therapeutics for Future Pandemics

India is embarking on a significant initiative to create indigenous vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics aimed at pathogens with pandemic potential. Announced by Dr. Nivedita Gupta of the ICMR on World Zoonoses Day, this program seeks to enhance the country's preparedness against future pandemics. By focusing on high-risk viral families identified by the WHO, India aims to develop prototype vaccines that can mitigate disease severity. This collaborative effort will involve multiple government ministries and research agencies, ensuring a comprehensive approach to public health. The initiative underscores the importance of proactive measures in safeguarding global health against emerging infectious diseases.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jul 6, 2026, 15:36 IST

India's Strategic Move Towards Vaccine Development

On the occasion of World Zoonoses Day, Dr. Nivedita Gupta, a scientist and head of the Communicable Diseases Division at the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), announced India's ambitious plan to develop homegrown vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics aimed at pathogens with the potential to cause pandemics. This annual observance, held on July 6, aims to raise awareness about zoonotic diseases—those that can be transmitted from animals to humans. The theme for this year, "One World, One Health: Prevent Zoonoses," emphasizes the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health, as highlighted by the International Society for Infectious Diseases (ISID). The COVID-19 pandemic has illustrated how quickly such diseases can cross borders, leading to significant health, social, and economic challenges. In light of the ongoing threat of future pandemics, India is proactively enhancing its capabilities to create vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics for high-risk pathogens before they escalate into global health crises, Dr. Gupta explained.

Development of Prototype Vaccines for Future Threats

Dr. Gupta revealed that a new program will soon be launched to create vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics for various pathogens that pose a pandemic risk. She stated, "The initiative aims to develop a pan-family or prototype vaccine that, while not specifically tailored to a new pathogen, can significantly mitigate the severity of the disease." This approach allows for a less specific vaccine that can reduce mortality rates while providing time to formulate a more targeted vaccine for the specific pathogen.

WHO's Identification of High-Risk Pathogens

Dr. Gupta elaborated on the scientific rationale behind this initiative, noting that the World Health Organization (WHO) has pinpointed 12 high-risk viral families, along with one bacterial family, that harbor pathogens capable of inciting future pandemics. These families include:

Orthomyxoviridae (which includes influenza viruses)
Coronaviridae (which includes SARS-CoV-2 and MERS-CoV)
Paramyxoviridae (which includes Nipah and Hendra viruses)
Filoviridae (which includes Ebola and Marburg viruses)
Flaviviridae (which includes dengue, Zika, and yellow fever viruses)
Picornaviridae (which includes enteroviruses and rhinoviruses)
Pneumoviridae (which includes respiratory syncytial virus)
Adenoviridae (which includes various human adenoviruses)
Hantaviridae (which includes viruses causing hantavirus pulmonary syndrome)
Arenaviridae (which includes Lassa fever virus)
Poxviridae (which includes the mpox virus)
Bunyavirales/Peribunyaviridae (which includes Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever and Rift Valley fever viruses)

Dr. Gupta emphasized that this family-specific strategy is crucial, as any new pandemic-causing pathogen is likely to emerge from one of these identified viral families.

Prototype Pathogen Approach Explained

The program will adopt a prototype pathogen approach, where scientists will select representative viruses from each high-risk family to develop vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics. Dr. Gupta explained, "We can identify one, two, or three members from these families that share significant similarities with others. These will be designated as prototypes. By developing vaccines and therapeutics against these prototypes, we aim to ensure that if a new pathogen emerges from the same family, or if an existing virus mutates, the developed solutions will still be effective in reducing disease severity."

A Collaborative Government Initiative

Dr. Gupta noted that this initiative will not be limited to ICMR but will involve collaboration across various ministries and research organizations. "We are currently drafting a proposal for the Department of Health Research, and we anticipate securing a dedicated grant soon," she stated. This effort will unify all relevant science and technology ministries, ensuring a comprehensive approach to developing vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics. Furthermore, the initiative aims to align academic research with industry needs, ensuring that research outputs align with national health priorities.