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Summary
- Two COVID-19 vaccines, Covaxin and Covishield, are authorised by the DGCI for emergency use.
- Bharat Biotech has collaborated with the ICMR for 'Covaxin'.
- Pharma giant Pfizer Inc requested the emergency use authorisation in India for its COVID-19 vaccine.
Indian drug regulator has authorised two COVID-19 vaccines for millions of Indians. The approval was received just hours after the country initiated a trial run of its massive vaccination program.
Covaxin and Covishield got consent by the DCGI (Drug Controller General of India) for the emergency use as on January 3, 2021. Covaxin is developed by Bharat Biotech and Covishield vaccine by Oxford University and AstraZeneca.
The Drug Controller General of India Dr VG Somani stated:
©Kalkine Group 2020
This has brought major relief to Indians as the country has the second highest COVID-19 cases worldwide, after the US.
Moreover, the Central government intends to vaccinate nearly 30 crore individuals in phase one of the vaccination drive in the upcoming 6-8 months.
The vaccine will be prioritised and administered to one crore healthcare, two crore frontline and essential workers as well as 27 crore elderly, mostly people above 50 years having co-morbidities.
Moreover, India is also getting ready for the mass distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine to low-income nations.
ALSO READ: How are developing world economies preparing for COVID-19 vaccine deployment and testing?
Bharat Biotech and ICMR to work together for Covaxin
Bharat Biotech is working with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) for Covaxin.
Image Source: Bharat Biotech
Covaxin, developed by Bharat Biotech, is the first indigenous vaccine of India against novel coronavirus. The inactivated COVID-19 vaccine is being developed with the ICMR and the NIV (National Institute of Virology).
It is noteworthy to mention that Covaxin could also be effective against the newer coronavirus mutants, including the variant found in the UK, said Health Minister Harsh Vardhan.
The health minister added that Covaxin would be effective against other variants as it comprises epitopes (immunogens) from other genes in addition to the ones from Spike protein.
DO READ: Is the UK finding hard to revive from the hard blow of COVID-19’s new variant?
Partnership of Serum Institute of India and Oxford-AstraZeneca
Serum Institute of India will conduct clinical trials and manufacturing of Covishield in partnership with Oxford-AstraZeneca.
Notably, over five crore shots of Covishield have already been stored by the Serum Institute, of which the maximum will be received by India. The vaccine developed by Oxford-AstraZeneca will play a significant role in the strategy of the country to vaccinate its population against COVID-19. Some major factors include low-cost, ease of storage and transport of Covishield.
Image Source: Shutterstock
Pfizer sought emergency use authorisation in India
Pharma giant Pfizer Inc (NYSE:PFE) has requested an EUA (emergency use authorization) for its COVID-19 vaccine candidate, developed with BioNTech SE (NASDAQ:BNTX) in India. Moreover, many other companies have also submitted applications for EUA for their vaccines in India.
