COVID-19: India’s first indigenous vaccine COVAXIN by August 15

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said that it aims to launch the Coronavirus vaccine for public health use by August 15. The ICMR has partnered with Bharat Biotech International Limited (BBIL) for clinical trials of  COVAXIN for the coronavirus disease.

BBIL is using the virus strain isolated at ICMR’s National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune to develop the vaccine. The clinical trials will be held in 12 institutes across the country. The ICMR has asked these institutes to fast-track clinical trials. They added that it is being considered as one of the “top priority projects”. Also being “monitored at the topmost level of the government”.

As reported by Moneycontrol,  A letter has been written by ICMR to Bharat Biotech.

“It is envisaged to launch the vaccine for public health use latest by 15th August 2020 after completion of all clinical trials. BBIL is working expeditiously to meet the target, however, the final outcome will depend on the cooperation of all clinical trial sites involved in this project,” the letter says.

They asked the 12 institutes across the country to fast track it.

“You have been chosen as a clinical trial site of the BBV152 COVID Vaccine. In view of the public health emergency due to COVID-19 pandemic and urgency to launch the vaccine, you are strictly advised to fast track all approvals related to the initiation of the clinical trial and ensure that the subject enrollment is initiated no later than 7th July 2020,” ICMR’s statement read.

The institutes selected for the clinical trial are in Visakhapatnam, Rohtak, New Delhi, Patna, Belgaum (Karnataka), Nagpur, Gorakhpur, Kattankulathur (Tamil Nadu), Hyderabad, Arya Nagar, Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh) and Goa.

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