Bharat Biotech COVID-19 Vaccine Could Launch By Feb 2021

“It has shown safety and efficacy in phase 1, 2 trials - but you can’t be sure till the phase 3 trials are over.”

Bharat Biotech, the company which is developing one of India’s indigenous vaccine candidates called Covaxin, expects that the shot will be ready by June 2021.

(Photo: The Quint)

In welcome COVID-19 news, indigenous vaccine candidate COVAXIN may be ready for launch as early as February 2021.

The vaccine is being developed by Bharat Biotech, a private company that is developing COVAXIN with the government-run Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). A senior government scientist told Reuters that late-stage trials have shown that the drug is effective so far.

The new development has pushed up the launch date, as earlier it was expected to launch in June 2021.

Rajni Kant, senior ICMR scientist and member of its COVID-19 task-force, said at the research body’s New Delhi headquarters on Thursday, 5 November:

“The vaccine has shown good efficacy. It is expected that by the beginning of next year, February or March, something would be available.”

Rajni Kant, senior ICMR scientist

He added that the health ministry had to decide if COVAXIN shots can be given to people even before the third-stage trials are over, reported NDTV.

“It has shown safety and efficacy in the phase 1 and 2 trials and in the animal studies - so it is safe but you can’t be 100 percent sure unless the phase 3 trials are over. There may be some risk, if you are ready to take the risk, you can take the vaccine. If necessary, the government can think of giving the vaccine in an emergency situation.”

Rajni Kant, senior ICMR scientist

Earlier in September, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said that the government was considering granting an emergency authorisation for a COVID-19 vaccine - especially for people at high-risk like those in high-risk work or the elderly.

FIT has reported on recent updates in the global COVID-19 vaccine race, read about them here.

(With inputs from Reuters, NDTV.)

This story has been republished with permission.