The Texas-India vaccine diplomacy, a collaboration for shared global health between Indian pharmaceutical company Biological E and the Texas Children's Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine, has led to the development of a cost-efficient vaccine against COVID-19 for $1.50 per dose, according to a top American scientist.

Addressing the annual 2021 gala of the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston (IACCGH) on Saturday, Dr Peter Hotez, Dean National School of Tropical Medicine; professor of pediatrics, molecular virology and molecular biology, at Baylor College of Medicine, said the collaboration has led to the development of the low-cost people's vaccine in record times.

It will help vaccinate the world's low-income countries in the coming months to fill the 9 billion gap, Hotez said.

"The COVID-19 vaccine, which will be released for emergency use in India soon, will produce 100 million doses per month. It has been tough, but the most fulfilling activity I've ever been involved with," he said.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) respects the Biological E, he said.

"It mentioned, once a vaccine is released in India, we will most likely move pretty close to do emergency assistance for global usage, so the world can benefit from it as well," Hotez said.

"Our shared goal is to make this vaccine available not only for India, but all of the world's low- and middle-income countries as a means to end the pandemic," Hotez said during his keynote address.

"We are being contacted by various middle-income countries in Asia and Africa, and working to transfer our production cell bank to them or have them work directly through Bio-E," he said.

Hotez said that this adventure would never have happened without the brilliance of Indian scientists and various Texas philanthropists, including Texas Children Hospital and M D Anderson Foundation, who raised USD 7 million for vaccine development.

Appreciating Indian vaccine producers amidst thunderous applause from over 600 attendees at the 22nd IACCGH gala, Hotez said, "India's vaccine producers are actually "India's gift to the world".

For decades, producers like the Serum Institute of India, Biological E and Bharat Biotech have established the unique ecosystem needed to provide vaccines for measles, whooping cough and tetanus to the world's low- and middle-income countries, he said.

"Since our vaccine uses an older yeast fermentation technology, we needed a manufacturing partner who could do this under a quality umbrella and without failure. It wasn't easy to find one, but the answer was only India after we were connected to Biological E, through mutual colleagues, who work with the Gates Foundation," he said.

Without the need of patents, the production cell bank was transferred to Biological E and then began exchanging reagents and knowledge, speaking several times a week via Zoom or phone, Hotez said.

"We worked together to co-develop the vaccine, which in clinical trials looked great, potentially offering protection as good as mRNA vaccines but for a fraction of the price $1.50 per dose, and simple refrigeration and easy to administer," he said.

"There are over 1 billion people in Sub-Saharan Africa, 650 million in Latin America, another 1 billion people in smaller, low-income Asian countries, who need to be vaccinated badly.

"Altogether, we needed 9 billion doses of vaccines, a daunting task in a short period of time. The mRNA and adenovirus vectored vaccines were always going to be made in sufficient amounts for North America and Europe but not the rest of the world due to its cost," Hotez said.

He also warned that there are dark forces at work seeking to undermine vaccines.

"At least 100,000 lost their lives to Delta and "anti-science aggression" from the political right, but we need to uncouple anti-science from far-right extremism. Ultimately science will save mankind," he said.

India's Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu, who was the chief guest at the gala, highlighted the deepening of the strategic relationship between India and the US.

This relationship is a meeting of minds and hearts, he said.

"US global strategic partnership continues to grow from strength to strength, the landmark visit of the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) for the India-US bilateral summit and the first in-person Quad Leaders' Summit recently is a testament to the enduring ties between the two countries," Sandhu said.

"As India enters the 75th year of independence, we continue to make rapid strides in building a prosperous and secure country. I am confident that the Indian American community here will further contribute to these efforts and further deepen the India-US partnership," he said.

Since this was Sandhu's first visit to Houston, he visited NASA, BAPS Temple, University of Houston, a post office named after Sikh police officer Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal and held meetings with elected officials, healthcare professionals, business leaders from a range of fields.

"These engagements provided political momentum to move the relationship forward. From health sector cooperation to combating climate change to partnership in critical and emerging technology to strategic cooperation to combating climate change to partnership in critical and emerging technology to strategic cooperation in the Indo Pacific, there is no sphere of human activity that is untouched by India-US relationship," Sandhu told PTI.

Ambassador Sandhu said that during his discussions with President Joe Biden, Prime Minister Narendra Modi identified five Ts that would define partnership, tradition, talent, business, technology and trusteeship.

All five aspects are underpinned by a defining element of trust between the two countries.

He said the Prime Minister’s visit is a demonstration of that trust and the enduring strength in our partnership.

“Broadly, our relations are focused on five key areas: strategic and defense relations, cooperation in the health sector (may like to mention – DFC – finalizing the organic e of financing last week), climate change and the energy sectors. in collaboration, technical and innovation collaboration and finally knowledge sharing,” Sandhu said.

The ceremony was attended by Houston’s top industry leaders, elected federal and local officials, Congressman Sheila Jackson Lee, Congressman and his representative, Consul General of India in Houston, Asim R Mahajan, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, Harris County Judge Leena Hidalgo. , Fort Bend Indian participated. US Judge KP George.

Jagdeep Ahluwalia, Founder and Executive Director of IACCGH Chamber to help tackle the fallout of the pandemic during these challenging times and by sending medical equipment locally and in India to promote entrepreneurship and tackle the Covid crisis earlier this year of the efforts.

IACCGH President Tarush Anand said, “We were able to host webinars addressing the issues of the new employment law created by the pandemic, doing business globally in these difficult times, providing real solutions in a virtual world.”

Those honored at this year’s ceremony include the Lifetime Achievement Award for Outstanding Leadership to Rice University President Dr. David LeBron, which has made Rice University a globally recognized, top-notch educational and research institution.

Awarded the IACCGH Woman of the Year for her contribution to the early growth of Westmont Hospitality Group and her role in fulfilling the group’s social corporate responsibility.

The Coalition to End Plastic Waste (AEPW) and LyondellBasell were awarded the Corporate Citizen of the Year award for their role as a co-founder in the Recycling of Plastics.

Special award to US SBA and Wallis Bank for Public-Private Partnership.

Sewa International was awarded the Community Service Award for its selfless service and frontline efforts to help those affected by the pandemic.

(PTI)