A ray of Hope! Bharat Biotech-ICMR to launch indigenous Covid vaccine by August 15

New Delhi, July 3: The Indian Council of Medical Research on Friday said is planning to launch indigenous Covid-19 vaccine for use by August 15 after completion of all clinical trials. While the institution has partnered with Bharat Biotech International Limited to develop this path breaking, Covid-19 vaccine, it has written to all stockholders to treat it as top priority.

 

 

ICMR has also asked Bharat Biotech to fast track the clinical trial mechanism and ensure that the subject enrolment is initiated by July 7. This all is after the research isnstitute developed the indigenous Covid-19 vaccine (BBV152 COVID vaccine) partnered with BBIL. The ICMR has selected 12 institutes for clinical trial of the country's first indigenous Covid-19 vaccine, an official had said on Thursday.

In a letter to the selected institute where the clinical trial is to be done, the ICMR also informed that it is envisaged to launch the vaccine for public health use latest by August 15, 2020 after completion of all clinical trials. The 12 institutes have been asked by the ICMR to fast track clinical trials of the Covid-19 vaccine as it is being considered as one of the top priority projects which are being monitored at the topmost level of the government.

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 ICMR told the selected institutes. Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech successfully developed Covaxin in collaboration with the ICMR and National Institute of Virology (NIV). The SARS-CoV-2 strain was isolated in NIV, Pune and transferred to Bharat Biotech.