On Tuesday, in a press release by the PIB Delhi, it had been mentioned that steps were taken by the Government to enhance the manufacturing of COVID-19 vaccines in the country.
Manufacturing permission has been granted to the private manufacturers for the three COVID-19 vaccines for restricted use in an emergency situation by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO).
The vaccines granted manufacturing permission are ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 Corona Virus Vaccine manufactured by M/s Serum Institute of India Pvt Ltd, Pune on 03.01.2021, Whole Virion Inactivation Corona Virus Vaccine manufactured by M/s Bharat Biotech International Ltd, Hyderabad on 03.01.2021, and, Gam-COVID-Vac Combined vector vaccine (SPUTNIK-V) manufactured by M/s Ra Panacea Biotech Ltd, New Delhi on 02.07.2021.
The Government of India had launched “Mission COVID Suraksha-the Indian COVID-19 Vaccine Development Mission” to support vaccine manufacturing in India which was being implemented by the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), a Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) of the department of Biotechnology (DBT).
In the mission, clinical trial lot manufacturing of promising vaccine candidates which include the DNA vaccine candidate; ZydusCadila, mRNA vaccine candidate; Gennova Biopharmaceuticals, and Intanasal vaccine candidate; Bharat Biotech, were being supported.
Under Mission COVID Suraksha, the capacity enhancement of Bharat Biotech was also being supported. The Department of Biotechnology is facilitating the technology transfer of Covaxin production from Bharat Biotech to Gujarat COVID Vaccine Consortium (GCVC), which comprises Hester Biosciences and OmniBRx Biotechnologies Pvt Ltd.
Shri Mansukh Mandaviya, the Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilisers, gave this information to the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.