Rabies is a preventable viral disease, but without treatment, it is almost always fatal due to encephalomyelitis. Dogs, the primary vectors and reservoirs, account for 99% of human infections and 40% of related deaths. In Pakistan, rabies is a growing national challenge, with an estimated incidence of 7 to 9.8% per million and 2,000 to 5,000 annual deaths. To address this, we aim to produce an inactivated rabies vaccine using locally isolated rabies virus strains. We have successfully isolated viral strains from various areas of Sindh, and phylogenetic analysis is underway using NGS data. Quality control tests for the presence and virus propagation are ongoing in mouse brains and cell lines. As part of this project, we are establishing Pakistan’s first Rabies Virus Seed Bank, a critical step for vaccine production. This initiative will reduce the country’s dependence on imported vaccines, support economic growth, and generate revenue through commercialization, while contributing to national efforts to control and eradicate rabies by 2030.

The Vaccine and Virology Research Laboratory (VVRL) has been fully transformed to comply with environmental safety standards and WHO guidelines for rabies vaccine production. Both the facility and equipment have been certified by ISO 17025 professionals. The facility operates under stringent Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), including measures for preventing the dispersal of biological agents, protocols for safety equipment usage, decontamination procedures, and guidelines for the proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE).