TIMESOFINDIA.COM | Last updated on – Jun 30, 2020, 15: 28 IST
01/11Bharat Biotech’s starts clinical trials and more updates about COVID-19
Six months and nearly ten million infections later, COVID-19 is showing no signs of stopping, even as experts worry about the emergence of the second wave of infections. Researchers are fighting a race against time to develop the world’s first vaccine and prevent further spread of the deadly infection
With over 110 candidates involved in the production of vaccine from Britain, USA, China, Africa and Israel, India saw the approval of the country’s first indigenous vaccine, COVAXIN given the go-ahead for the start of clinical trials.
Here are all the updates about the same:
02/11Bharat BioTech’s COVAXIN gets ready for clinical trials
Leading vaccine maker from the country, Hyderabad based Bharat Biotech won the approvals from Drug Controller General of India (DGCI) to start phase I and II clinical trials of its vaccine prototype, named ‘COVAXIN’ in the country. This is the first such company which has received a go-ahead to start the clinical trials.
The vaccine has been produced by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and National Institue of Virology (NIV) by using an inactive version of the vaccine. Pre-clinical trials for the same have shown good immune response in the body and have been termed “safe” for use.
03/11What other vaccines are being developed in India?
Bharat Biotech has also announced plans of a joint vaccine study with the University of Wisconsin and another with researchers based out of Thomas Jefferson University.
While India’s top medical minds have praised the development, it has not been confirmed as to when will the vaccine be available for public use.
India, which is one of the biggest vaccine production hubs worldwide is seeing as many as 30 vaccine candidates being developed in the country. Pune-based Serum Institue of India (SII) is working with many global vaccine firms, including University of Oxford to ramp up production of their vaccine if it is approved for use post the end of clinical trials.
04/11Chinese vaccine SinoVac ready for use by the military?
As the world competes to develop a strong vaccine against COVID-19, China has spearheaded the development of its most promising vaccine being developed by a research and biotech based firm, CanSino. It was recently announced that the vaccine prototype, which is still in its clinical trials has been approved for use by China’s Central Military Commission for a year’s time. While the vaccine has still not been approved for wide use, the company, which co-produced the vaccine with Chinese Academy of Military Medical Sciences said that the usage of the same cannot be commercialized unless it’s cleared by the military wing.
There are also several other promising developments happening at warp speed in China. As per WHO, out of the 17 candidates in the advanced stages of clinical trials, half of them are from China.
05/11AstraZeneca to supply vaccine doses in Brazil first?
The University of Oxford and British-Swedish pharmaceutical giant, AstraZeneca are jointly working on the production of a vaccine, ChAdOx1 nCoV-19, by using a weakened version of the common cold virus, adenovirus. The company, which is currently conducting mid-scale trials in Brazil, one of the worst affected countries globally recently said that the South American nation might be one of the first to deploy the vaccine if approvals are met. Currently, testing is going on more than 5000 frontline workers in Brazil, after plans to start phase-III trials were given the go-ahead by the experts in early June.
Brazil’s