Meiji Seika Pharma and Serum Institute partner to bring Japanese encephalitis vaccine to India

The technology-transfer collaboration will use Serum Institute’s manufacturing capabilities to develop and produce KM Biologics’ Japanese encephalitis vaccine in India, with a regulatory application targeted as early as 2027.

Meiji Seika Pharma group company KM Biologics and Serum Institute of India (SII) are collaborating to transfer technology for the development and manufacture in India of the Japanese encephalitis vaccine currently produced and marketed by KM Biologics in Japan.

SII is expected to seek Indian regulatory approval as early as 2027, with the partnership intended to establish local manufacturing and supply of the vaccine for children in India.

Field	Content
Alert Type	Deal
Companies	KM Biologics; Meiji Seika Pharma; Serum Institute of India
Deal Type	Technology transfer and development/manufacturing collaboration
Asset or Company	Japanese encephalitis vaccine currently manufactured and marketed in Japan by KM Biologics
Therapy Area(s)	Infectious diseases; Vaccines; Japanese encephalitis
Technology or Modality	Cell-culture Japanese encephalitis vaccine
Deal Value	Financial terms have not been disclosed. Meiji Seika Pharma has also said that it cannot yet provide an investment figure for its wider plans in India because its strategy remains under development. (Devdiscourse)
Development Stage	Technology transfer and Indian development activities ahead of planned regulatory submission
Geography	India; Japan
What Happened	KM Biologics, a Meiji Seika Pharma group company, has entered a technology collaboration with Serum Institute of India covering development and manufacturing of a Japanese encephalitis vaccine in India. The collaboration is based on a technology-transfer agreement, and SII has begun development activities using the vaccine technology currently employed by KM Biologics in Japan. Meiji Seika Pharma president Toshiaki Nagasato said SII is expected to apply for Indian regulatory approval as early as 2027, after which the vaccine could be made available to children in India if approved. SII technical personnel have already visited Japan to study the vaccine technology.
Why It Matters	The agreement combines an established Japanese vaccine technology with SII’s large-scale vaccine development and manufacturing infrastructure in India. Local development and manufacturing could support a more stable and potentially more affordable supply of Japanese encephalitis vaccine for the Indian market, although regulatory approval, pricing and commercial availability have not yet been established. (Devdiscourse)
Supporting Context	The underlying technology collaboration was announced in April 2026, when KM Biologics reported achievement of the first milestone under its agreement with SII. The vaccine marketed in Japan is ENCEVAC, a cell-culture Japanese encephalitis vaccine manufactured by KM Biologics and sold by Meiji Seika Pharma.
Strategic Rationale	KM Biologics and Meiji Seika Pharma gain access to SII’s development and large-scale manufacturing capabilities in India, providing a route to extend an established Japanese vaccine technology into another major market. SII gains access to the vaccine technology and would be responsible for progressing the programme towards Indian regulatory approval and local supply. (Devdiscourse)
Potential Impact	If successfully developed and approved, the partnership could establish an additional locally manufactured Japanese encephalitis vaccine for India. Its eventual impact on vaccine access and supply will depend on regulatory approval, manufacturing scale, pricing and inclusion within relevant vaccination channels.
Key Takeaway	The partnership transfers KM Biologics’ established Japanese encephalitis vaccine technology to Serum Institute with the aim of developing a locally manufactured vaccine for India.
What to Watch	Completion of technology transfer and development work, followed by SII’s planned Indian regulatory application as early as 2027 and subsequent decisions on manufacturing scale, pricing and vaccine availability. (The Tribune)
Primary Source	Serum Institute of India / KM Biologics technology collaboration announcement
Relevant Date	24 August 2026

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