COVID-19: Bharat Biotech's Covaxin phase-3 trials to take place in Lucknow and Gorakhpur

Uttar Pradesh government on September 23 has allowed the phase-3 trials of Coronavirus vaccine 'Covaxin' in two cities. The COVID vaccine is currently being tested by Bharat Biotech Ltd in collaboration with the ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research). Additional Chief Secretary (Health and Medicine) Amit Mohan Prasad conveyed the government’s permission to test the anti-COVID-19 vaccine in Lucknow and Gorakhpur through a letter to Bharat Biotech International Limited’s director V Krishna Mohan.

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Bharat Biotech's 'Covaxin'' gets permission for phase-3 trials 

For phase-3 trials of the Bharat Biotech's Coronavirus vaccine in Lucknow, Dr R K Dhiman, the director of Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences has been made the nodal person. For Gorakhpur, Dr Ganesh Kumar, the Principal of BRD Medical College has been made the nodal officer. All permissions will have to be obtained by you and all safety and other protocols will have to be followed as per the guidelines of the Government of India for conducting clinical trials, he added.

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“Kindly refer to your letter dated September 19, 2020, for permission and facilitation to initiate the COVAXIN Phase 3 Efficacy and Safety clinical trials in Uttar Pradesh. It has been decided to allow Bharat Biotech to conduct Phase-3 trial in Lucknow and Gorakhpur," Prasad said in his letter.

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COVID-19 vaccine: 'Covaxin'

Covaxin is the first of the indigenously developed vaccines against COVID-19 by India. The vaccine is being developed Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the National Institute of Virology (NIV). Besides the Covaxin, India has two more vaccine candidates in the run. Ahmedabad based Zydus Cadila's ZyCoV-D and another one is being developed by Serum Institute of India in collaboration with the Oxford University vaccine and UK's Pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca. 

COVID-19 on the rise in India

The total coronavirus cases in the country reached 57,32,518 including 9,66,382 active cases, 46,74,987 cured/discharged/migrated and 91,149 deaths, as per Health Ministry data. Moreover, India scaled another peak after its cumulative tests surpassed 6 crores on September 17. As per ICMR's latest update on Twitter, over 6,74,36. 031 Coronavirus samples have been tested up to September 23. 

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(With agency inputs)