Trial results for India’s first COVID-19 vaccine to be release by 15 August, says ICMR

After getting a green signal from the Indian Council for Medical Research for the human trials of the COVID-19 vaccine- Covaxin, Bharat Biotech has been asked to launch the results by August, 15. In a letter written by the DG ICMR, Balram Bhargava to Bharat Biotech and principal investigators of medical colleges, he has expressed an urgency to complete the human trial of Covaxin by August 15, 2020.

Covaxin, the first indigenously developed vaccine for the novel Corona virus received an  approval on Tuesday for the Phase I and II of human trials by the Central Drugs Control Organization (CDCO). The vaccine has been developed via an alliance between the Indian Council for Medical Research’s National Institute of Virology and the Hyderabad based biotech giant, Bharat Biotech India to fight COVID-19.

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“This is the first indigenous vaccine being developed by India and is one of the top priority projects which is being monitored at the topmost level of Government” he stated in the letter. The council has also urged these institutions to fast track any approvals needed for the trials and to complete enrollment of the subjects within five days of receiving this notice to ensure that the timeline is adhered to.

In a letter written earlier by DG Bhargava to Bharat Biotech, which was leaked, the launch of the vaccine was scheduled on August 15, as reported by multiple news agencies. However, Mr. Bhargava clarified later to the media that the letter was written with the intention of fueling the urgency for the human trials to be pushed to fast track and the vaccine would certainly take time to be launched for public use. 

“Kindly note that the non-compliance will be viewed very seriously, therefore you are advised to treat this project on the highest priority and meet the given deadline without any lap” concluded the DG in his letter. 

With Covaxin entering the human trials, India has entered the quest for finding out the vaccine for the novel Corona virus following the United States, China, France and Germany.