Sir, before discussing current global and Indian Biotech scenario, please tell us more about IAVI and its mission.
IAVI was founded 10 years ago. IAVI’s mission statement is, “To ensure the development of safe, effective, accessible, preventive HIV vaccines for use throughout the world”. Our head quarters are based in New York and regional offices in Amsterdam, India-New Delhi, Nairobi and Johannesburg. We are active in 23 countries in the world and are the 2nd largest grant maker for HIV vaccine research with more than 40 R&D partnerships. More details are available at www.iavi.org 

 

What are some of the key priority areas for IAVI?
IAVI has a strong HIV Vaccine development focus and during the last decade has successfully undertaken several collaborative development programs with key scientists in the field and successfully tested seven vaccine candidates at 15 clinical trials in 11 countries. Recently IAVI has also established a research lab with an aim to identifying new vector systems and optimize gene expression to elicit strong immune responses to the HIV transgenes. Additionally, IAVI has a strong Country and Regional programs in several countries with an aim to bring political and community awareness and literacy regarding the disease, prevention and vaccines. In collaboration with several key institutes in East Africa and India, IAVI has successfully developed clinical capacity and infrastructure in these countries and trained local scientists to undertake clinical sample testing.

 

Dr. Eddy, how long you have been with IAVI and can you name a few projects you are working on?
I’ve been at IAVI for five years and have been handling the vaccine manufacturing portfolio. All our GMP manufacturing activities are outsourced and executed through contract manufacturing. Several contract manufacturers need to be audited and their expertise, capability and capacity determined. Detailed work plans have to be developed and contracts monitored very closely. Emphasis on budget and timelines is of paramount importance. During this period, I have had the opportunity to work towards developing 15 different HIV candidate vaccines based on the plasmid DNA, MVA-vectored, AAV-vectored, bacterial-delivery systems and low-seroprevalant adeno-virus vector platforms.

How many vaccine candidates are currently being funded by IAVI and which are the most promising ones?
During the last decade, IAVI has funded the development of 16 candidate vaccines based on the plasmid DNA platform, MVA vectored platform, Adeno Associated, bacterial delivery platform and adenovirus vectored platforms. Seven of these have been tested in Phase 1 clinical trials in East Africa, Southern Africa, UK, Europe, US and India. All these vaccines have demonstrated good clinical safety in human. Additionally, IAVI has collaborated with the NIH-VRC to test the plasmid DNA and adenovirus vaccine in a prime boost trial in IAVI’s clinical sites in East Africa. The MVA-vectored vaccines and the adeno-virus vaccines appear promising and will be evaluated in phase 2 trials soon.

How far are we from launching a HIV vaccine in market?
As most of you are aware vaccine development has a long gestation period and on an average takes 10-15 years from concept to licensure. Candidates have to undergo extensive safety testing in a pre-clinical and clinical setting, followed by immunogenicity and efficacy evaluation. The lead candidates in the field today have been developed and tested by the Merck Corporation & NIH-VRC. It will be several more years of evaluation in the clinics before a licensed vaccine will appear in the market.

Does IAVI have any special strategy for India, considering the current high HIV-1 disease burden?
During the last 5 years, IAVI has received tremendous support and encouragement from the Presidents, Prime-Ministers and members of Parliament of India. IAVI has established a regional office in New Delhi and helped build clinical infrastructure in collaboration with premier Institutes of the ICMR and successfully initiated clinical trials at the National AIDS Vaccine research (NARI-Pune) and Tuberculosis Research Center (TRC-Chennai). Additionally, several programs have been undertaken to educate religious leaders, members of parliament, NGOs and the community on the disease, literacy and prevention. IAVI is currently engaging premier scientific institutions within India on several research programs to design immunogens for eliciting neutralizing antibodies to the HIV virus. Additional investigations on sequencing several isolates from India are also planned.

Now, I would to discuss topics which are more close to heart of majority of budding biotechnologist i.e. job or research opportunities in India and abroad.

 

Dr. Eddy you have worked in India, Australia and now you are in US. What is your experience or what ‘word of caution’ you would like to give to our youngsters thinking on immigration?
Moving to a new country is not easy. One goes through a lot of emotions having left ones family and friends back home and starting things afresh. Loneliness and cultural difference do not make things easy. One has to fend for oneself and prove ones worthiness in a new land. The first few months are challenging. During these times, one needs to put ones head down and persevere. It is much easier when one is younger and without dependants as one needs to spend long hours at work and demonstrate ones capabilities. As time goes by, and hurdles are overcome, life becomes more enjoyable. So remember, “There is no gain without pain”.

As you are aware, large numbers of Biotech youngsters are trying to immigrate to countries like Australia, Canada or New Zealand in search of better job prospects. Do these countries really offer better job opportunities for Indian biotechnologists?
Immigration to Australia, Canada and New Zealand is strongly encouraged by their governments especially for the relatively young and skilled people who wish to immigrate to these countries seeking a great lifestyle and excellent job opportunities and can contribute to the economy of the country. These countries are seeking skilled personnel mainly in the IT, hospitality and teaching areas and people who can establish business houses. The demand for trained scientists in biotechnology exists but is limited as compared to their counterparts in US.

What are your views on the current Indian Biotech Job scenario as compared to Australia, New Zealand or Canada?
The biotech industry in India is growing exponentially in the pharmaceutical area. It was US $ 3 billion in 1997 and is expected to cross $ 10 billion by 2007. Vaccine market in 2001 was $ 100 million and is expected to grow by 20%. Diagnostic market was $ 200 million in 2001. A study of the industry by Mckinsey predicted an innovation-led growth of $ 25 billion by 2010. Australia ranks second (after Canada) for biotech R&D cost competitiveness-ahead of US, UK and Germany. The Australian Government has pledged over 1$ billion over seven years to bring biotech research and discovery into market. In its global biotech census, Ernst and Young ranks Australia as the number one biotech provider in the Asia-Pacific and 6th world wide (2003 Beyond Borders Report). The Canadian biotechnology industry is a rich source of innovation with 417 core biotechnology companies involved in the sector – and over 70% of these firms focusing on therapeutics and diagnostics product development according to the Canadian Biotechnology Industry Report 2004. The Report shows that 80 per cent of the core biotechnology companies in Canada were created less than six years ago and thus still are in their early growth phases.

Is scenario in USA good for Indian Biotechnologists?
Since the development of recombinant DNA technology, over 2000 firms have been founded in the US. Approximately 30 new products have reached medical market and several hundred more are in human clinical trials. The market for such products grew from $ 7.6 billion in 1996 to $ 24 billion in 2006. Similarly the market for agricultural products grew from $ 295 million in 1996 to $ 1.74 million by 2006 – with applications ranging from food crops with enhanced pest resistance to improved methods of food preservation. Hence there is a huge demand for trained and skilled scientists. Indian graduates have capitalizing on this market need and are currently holding key positions in several biotech industries in the US. The need is ever growing.

 

Struggling phase in any career is inevitable, and you also must have also gone through it, would you like to share with us any instance or experience which motivated you and can motivate our youngsters?
While doing my PhD, I was on a time-bound fellowship from the CSIR / ICMR. There were several times when experiments would fail. Frustration would creep in and the desire to throw-in the towel would take the better of me. Sitting in the quietude of my home or the lawns of Pune University, I would reflect on these failures and motivate myself that everyday lost at the lab was a day lost on my fellowship and I could not afford this luxury. A certain burst of enthusiasm would step-in and I would be back at work with renewed motivation trying to analyze the reasons for experiment failures and to overcome them. These real-life experiences are an excellent education in life and go a long way in molding a personality to take bigger challenges in life.

 

AbhayJere.com receives large number of emails from Biotech freshers, asking what will make them eligible for good job in an industry. Dr. Eddy you have worked in industry, research institution and now with an International NGO, what will be your advice to them?
It all depends on what career-path does an individual desire? Is it Research or product development? What ever is the choice, a good education, hard work, perseverance, dedication, honesty, reliability, and ability to deliver results, ability to be self-motivated are some of the attributes that will never fail in any walk of life. It is important for an individual to spend a few years in research prior to embarking on product development. Industry demands a stricter discipline to focus research into product development under aggressive timelines, cutting-edge competition, under budget constraints and with a great level of accountability.

 

Thank Dr.Eddy for sharing your views and guiding our youngsters.
AbhayJere.com is extremely grateful for all your support and encouragement and we hope your team at IAVI will be successful in developing HIV vaccine for Indian population soon. We also hope to interact with you more in near future. Thanks once again

Dr.Eddy Sayeed is Director Vaccine Production at International AIDS Vaccine Initiative, USA.