India's first COVID vaccine Covaxin gets DCGI nod for human trials; maker issues statement

In a significant development and towards a breakthrough of a potential vaccine for COVID-19, Drug Controller General of India (DGCI) has given a green signal for conducting human trials of India's first COVID-19 vaccine 'Covaxin'.  development comes after Union Health Ministry gave a d for clinical human trials of potential vaccine after successfully testing it on animals.

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Covaxin has been approved for Phase I & II Human Clinical Trials which will begin from July.  vaccine is being developed by Bharat Biotech in Hyderabad in collaboration with Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and National Institute of Virology (NIV).

Anuncing milestone, Dr Krishna Ella, chairman and managing director of Bharat Biotech, said, “ collaboration with ICMR and NIV was instrumental in development of this vaccine. proactive support and guidance from CDSCO has enabled approvals to this project. Our R&D and manufacturing teams worked tirelessly to deploy our proprietary techlogies towards this platform.”

Suchitra Ella, joint managing director of company, said, “Our ongoing research and expertise in forecasting epidemics has enabled us to successfully manufacture a vaccine for H1N1 pandemic. Continuing our focus on creating only BSL-3 containment facilities for manufacturing and testing in India, Bharat Biotech is committed to advancing vaccine development as a matter of national importance to demonstrate India’s strength in handling future pandemics.”

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Race to COVID-19 vaccine

re are several international pharmaceutical manufacturers in race across world to develop COVID-19 vaccine. Pharma major AstraZeneca in collaboration with Oxford University's Jenner Institute and Oxford Vaccine Group has ramped up its capacity to produce a vaccine for COVID-19 on a wide scale. 

British drugmaker was already in human trials phase of vaccine developed by University of Oxford, with a phase I trial in Britain due to end soon and a phase III trial already begun,  CEO of AstraZeneca, Pascal Soriot had told broadcaster Bel RTL.

China too is said to have developed a vaccine in association with help of Chinese vaccine company CanSi Biologics, which shows promising results in early clinical trials.