Industry Odisha Bureau, Sep 22: Bharat Biotech has completed a post-Covid reset, founder Krishna Ella says. The company is advancing its TB vaccine, Nipah and Ebola programmes while weighing an IPO.
Bharat Biotech says it has emerged from a two-year post-Covid reset. Founder Krishna Ella describes the company as “back in action”. Its vaccine pipeline now spans TB, Nipah and Ebola. Bharat Biotech is also considering an IPO.
Bharat Biotech Rebuilds After Covid
Covaxin gave Bharat Biotech global visibility during the pandemic. Ella said that momentum weakened once the crisis eased. Employees needed time to recover after intense Covid-era work. The company spent two years resetting its operations. Ella said Bharat Biotech regrouped over the past year.
TB Vaccine Leads Expanding Pipeline
The TB vaccine programme has completed Phase 2 trials. Bharat Biotech is preparing its dossier for further review. Ella rejected reports suggesting the trial had paused. He called that characterisation a misinterpretation. The pipeline also includes chikungunya, malaria and Zika vaccines. Antimicrobial resistance research remains at an early clinical stage. Ella said vaccines could help address hospital-acquired infections.
Nipah and Ebola Join Preparedness Push
Nipah and Ebola vaccines form part of Bharat Biotech’s pandemic-preparedness strategy. Ella said his approach to Ebola differs from global researchers. He favours a broader, T-cell-based vaccine design. Ella compared this approach to Covaxin’s underlying technology. He said Ebola is not a revenue priority for the company.
Beyond Vaccines Into Gene Therapy
Bharat Biotech is expanding into cell and gene therapy. It is also entering monoclonal antibodies. The gene therapy operation is based in Bengaluru. Ella’s son, Raches Ella, leads that effort. Rising cancer cases in India motivate this expansion. Current gene therapy treatments cost between ₹1 crore and ₹3 crore. Bharat Biotech wants to make such treatments more affordable.
IPO Emerges as Funding Option
Ella did not confirm a public listing. He said he is not ruling out an IPO. New therapies like monoclonal antibodies require significant funding. Ella also mentioned potential acquisitions as a consideration. Additional capital could support both priorities.
Manufacturing Supports Next Growth Phase
Bharat Biotech currently reports around ₹2,000 crore in revenue. Ella described the company as debt-free. It invested ₹1,500 crore in an Odisha vaccine plant. That investment was made without external loans, Ella said. Bharat Biotech has also acquired a GSK vaccine plant in Gujarat. These investments underpin its expanding manufacturing footprint.
Ella said the next five years matter more than the last thirty. Bharat Biotech aims to combine vaccine strength with newer therapies. Its TB, Nipah and Ebola programmes anchor that broader ambition. An eventual IPO could accelerate its next growth phase.
