Bharat Biotech's COVAXIN to kick off by February: Government Scientist says

New Delhi: Bharat Biotech, a private company developing COVAXIN with the government-run Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), is hoping to launch the COVID vaccine in the second half of next year.

COVAXIN, India's indigenous COVID-19 vaccine is developed and manufactured in Bharat Biotech's BSL-3 (Bio-safety Level 3) high containment facility.

"The vaccine has shown good efficacy," said Rajni Kant, senior ICMR scientist, member of COVID-19 task-force on Thursday.

The team expects to deliver COVAXIN by the beginning of next year's February or March. India's cases of COVID-19 infections have risen to 8.36 million after 50,201 cases were reported on Thursday, second only to the United States.

Kant, as the head of ICMR's research management, policy, planning and coordination cell, said it was the decision of health ministry to decide if COVAXIN shots should be given to people even before the third-stage trials are over.

The vaccine proved to be safe and efficient in phase 1 and 2 trials and in the animal studies too. However, one cannot be 100% sure without the test of the phase 3 trial, Kant further added.

Health Minister Harsh Vardhan admitted to having considered the decision to authorise elderly and people in high-risk workplaces to avail emergency authorisation for a COVID-19 vaccine.

A number of leading vaccine candidates have already reached final-stage testing. One of them is Britain's AstraZeneca, supposed to be most advanced and safe. Britain plans on rolling it out in late December or early 2021.

AstraZeneca has signed several supplies and manufacturing deals with governments and a number of companies around the world which includes the Serum Institute of India.

Other vaccines are being developed by Modern Inc, Pfizer Inc with partner BioNTech SE, and Johnson & Johnson.

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