Bharat Biotech requests emergency use licence for COVID-19 vaccine

NEW DELHI: Bharat Biotech, a Hyderabad- based pharmaceutical firm, requested emergency use authorisation for ‘Covaxin’, its COVID-19 vaccine,from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation under Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare. This comes after Pfizer and Serum Institute sought emergency use approval for their vaccines. Covaxin is being domestically developed by Bharat Biotech jointly with the Indian Council of Medical Research.

Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, at an all-party meeting on Friday, December 4, had expressed hope that a COVID-19 vaccine may be ready soon. 

The applications of all the candidates will be inspected by the subject expert committee on COVID-19 at the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation.