From Bharat Biotech to Serum Institute, 7 Indian firms in COVID-19 vaccine race

As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to wreak havoc around the world, several countries are vigorously engaged in developing a vaccine for the fatal disease which has infected over 14 million people so far. India, the third worst-affected country with more than a million Covid-19 cases, is also involved in developing a vaccine for the novel Coronavirus which originated from China’s Wuhan last year.

India is among the biggest manufacturers of generic medicines and vaccines in the world. There are seven major companies in the country that are have joined in the global efforts to prepare a vaccine for Covid-19.

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7 Indian firms developing COVID vaccine

Covaxin, Bharat Biotech: The vaccine was developed and manufactured in Hyderabad. Human trials of Covaxin began last week. Bharat Biotech has received approval to conduct phase I and II clinical trial for its vaccine candidate.

AstraZeneca, Serum Institute of India: This vaccine candidate is undergoing phase III clinical trials and is expected to commence human trials this month. Serum Institute of India is hoping that AstraZeneca vaccine will be available by the year-end.

ZyCoV-D, Zydus Cadila: The clinical trials of the vaccine candidate is expected to be completed in seven months. Last week Zydus Cadila began clinical trials of ZyCoV-D with the first human dosing.

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Vaccine candidate from Panacea Biotec: This company has set up a joint venture firm in Ireland with US-based Refana Inc to develop its vaccine candidate. Panacea Biotec said it will manufacture over 500 million doses of this unnamed Covid-19 candidate vaccine. Over 40 million doses are expected to be available for delivery early next year.

Indian Immunologicals vaccine: The vaccine candidate is a subsidiary of the National Dairy Development Board. Indian Immunologicals has made an agreement with Australia’s Griffith University to develop a vaccine for the novel coronavirus.

Mynvax: The vaccine candidate is expected to be developed in 18 months. It will began with two dozen doses and is currently at the pre-clinical trial level. It has appealed to Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) for Rs 15 crore grant to develop Mynvax.

Biological E: The vaccine candidate is currently at the pre-clinical trial level.

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Coronavirus update

India has so far reported 23,96,637 COVID-19 cases of which 16,95,982 have recovered, while 47,033 have lost their lives. The active cases in the country stand at 6,53,622. The need for a vaccine is of paramount importance in order to arrest the speedy rise in cases and fully restart an economy that faces its worst downturn in over four decades.

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(Image credits: AP)