Country's First COVID-19 Vaccine By Bharat Biotech Approved For Human Trial

The Drug Controller General of India has approved the human trial of pharma company Bharat Biotech's COVID-19 vaccine 'COVAXIN'. Bharat Biotech is the first pharma company in the country to get permission for human trials of its claimed vaccine. The company will start the trial in July next month.

The alleged vaccine has been developed by Hyderabad-based pharma company Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research and the National Institute of Virology. The Drug Controller General of India, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation, and the Ministry of Health have given the company permission for the first and second phases of human trials.

Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech issued a statement saying, "The vaccine has been prepared in the BSL ie Bio-Safety Level 3 High Containment Facility in Genome Valley, Hyderabad.” 

Dr. Krishna Ella, Chairman and Managing Director of the company said, "We are proud to announce the vaccine. This is Corona's first vaccine formulated in the country. It has been produced in collaboration with ICMR and the National Institute of Virology.”

He said, “The project got approval only because of the support and guidance of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization. Our team is constantly working tirelessly and the help of every necessary technique is being taken to prepare it.”

The human trial has been allowed only after the pre-clinical trial of ‘COVAXIN’. According to Bharat Biotech, the vaccine results have been better in pre-clinical trials. It is quite safe and helps to speed up the immune response.

Currently, more than 100 companies are working to find the perfect coronavirus vaccine worldwide. Not only this, but a human trial of more than a dozen vaccines has also been done so far. In India, apart from Bharat Biotech, five more pharma companies are working on the vaccine.