Covaxin, India’s indigenous vaccine candidate developed in partnership with Bharat Biotech International Limited (BBIL) and ICMR will be starting their human trials on 200 healthy individuals in Belagavi, Karnataka.
The trials will be conducted by Jeevan Rekha Hospital in Belagavi and monitored by BBIL and ICMR, reported The Hindu.
“We have been asked to speed up the process and work around the clock if need be.”Amit Bhate, Hospital Director to the Hindu.
On Monday, 29 June, the company announced that they received approval from Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation for Phase I & II Human Clinical Trials, and are scheduled to start across India in July 2020.
On Thursday, 3 July, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) made a claim of aiming to launch India’s indigenous COVID-19 vaccine by 15 August.
To achive this ambitious target, the development and trials have been put on a fast track. Although many experts and much of India’s medical community is still sketpical.
Virologist Dr Jacob John told FIT,
“It is a visionary and optimistic claim. The intentions of releasing a vaccine soon are good but it seems unrealistic that it will be ready in just 45 days. Phase 1 and 2 could be done in 45 days, but not Phase 3.”Dr T. Jacob John, virologist and former professor at the Christian Medical College, Vellore.
However, Amit Bhate, director of Jeevan Rekha told The Hindu that they are happy to be part of the trial “of the first indigenously developed vaccine for this dreaded disease.”
(With inputs from The Hindu.)
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