ICMR aims to launch indigenous COVID-19 vaccine by August 15

NEW DELHI: The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said that it aims to launch an indigenously developed COVID-19 vaccine by August 15 and has written to select medical institutions and hospitals to fast-track clinical trial approvals for the vaccine candidate Covaxin being developed in collaboration with Bharat Biotech.

ICMR has nominated 12 sites for the clinical trial of India’s coronavirus vaccine and has asked the medical institutions and principal investigators to ensure subject enrollment is initiated no later than July 7.

The COVID-19 vaccine candidate Covaxin, developed by the Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the ICMR and the National Institute of Virology (NIV), had recently got the nod for human clinical trials from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI).

Dr Balram Bhargava, Director General, ICMR, in his letter to principal investigators of the 12 sites, said that it is one of the “top priority projects which is being monitored at the top-most level of the government”. It is envisaged to launch the vaccine for general wellbeing use latest by August 15 after completion of all clinical trials. Bharat Biotech International is working speedily to meet the objective, however, the ultimate result depends on the cooperation of all clinical trial sites involved in this project.

According to Union Health Ministry’s data, the number of COVID-19 cases in India surged by over 20,000 taking the total tally to 6,48,315 on Saturday, July 4, while the death toll reached 18,655 after 442 patients succumbed to the coronavirus disease in one day.