Bharat Biotech’s Covid-19 vaccine could be launched by February, says ICMR scientist
A senior ICMR scientist has said that Bharat Biotech, a private company that is developing Covaxin, could launch the vaccine as early as February.
Bharat Biotech’s Covid-19 vaccine could be launched months earlier than expected -- as early as February -- as last-stage trials begin this month with studies so far showing it is safe and effective, a senior government scientist told Reuters.
Bharat Biotech, a private company that is developing Covaxin with the government-run Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), had earlier said it hoped to launch the vaccine only in the second quarter of next year.
“The vaccine has shown good efficacy. It is expected that by the beginning of next year, February or March, something would be available,” senior ICMR scientist Rajni Kant was quoted as saying by Reuters.
Rajni Kant, a member of the Covid-19 task-force, made the remarks at the ICMR’s New Delhi headquarters on Thursday.
A launch in February would make Covaxin the first India-made vaccine to be rolled out.
Kant, who is the head of ICMR's research management, policy, planning and coordination cell, said it was up to the health ministry to decide if Covaxin shots can be given to people even before the third-stage trials are over.
"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% sure unless the phase 3 trials are over," the ICMR scientist said.
"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."
Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said in September the government was considering granting an emergency authorisation for a C#-19 vaccine, particularly for the elderly and people in high-risk workplaces.
Other vaccine candidates?
Several leading vaccine candidates are already in final-stage testing. An experimental vaccine developed by Britain's AstraZeneca is among the most advanced ones, and Britain expects to roll it out in late December or early 2021.
AstraZeneca has signed several supply and manufacturing deals with companies and governments around the world, including with the Serum Institute of India.
Other late-stage vaccines are developed by Moderna Inc, Pfizer Inc with partner BioNTech SE, and Johnson & Johnson.
India sees over 50,000 cases in a day
India's cases of coronavirus infections rose by 50,201 cases on Thursday to 8.36 million, second only to the United States. Deaths rose by 704, with the total now at 124,315.
The daily rise in infections and deaths has slowed since a peak in mid-September.
Also Read | Could India look at conducting rolling review of Covid-19 vaccine?
Also Read | PM Modi says all Indians will get coronavirus vaccine, expert group to monitor distribution through 28,000 points