Indian Biotechnology expert says friendly nation’s officials asked to facilitate Indian COVID-19 vaccine phase 3 trials

“More than 100 of matter experts hailing from friendly neighbouring nations have been trained to strengthen capacities in their countries for facilitating phase-3 clinical trials of Indian COVID-19 vaccine,” a senior official of the department of biotechnology said on Wednesday.

As Alka Sharma, an adviser with the Department of Biotechnology, addressed a webinar organised by Confederation of Indian Industry, said that the partnership for advancing clinical trials (PACT) initiative is being carried out in close coordination with the ministry of external affairs and so far, under this initiative, two of the training modules have been successfully completed.

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“…The PACT is under the initiative of the Department of Biotechnology and Ministry of External Affairs to strengthen capacities for facilitating phase-3 clinical trials of Indian COVID vaccine in friendly neighbouring countries,” she said.

“More than 100 participants from Afghanistan, Bhutan, Maldives, Mauritius, Nepal, Sri Lanka took part in this training programme,” she said.

“The plan is to have the next round of training programme with more number of participants,” she added.
“Currently 30 groups are actively involved in the development of the coronavirus vaccine. Six vaccines are in various stages of clinical trials, of which four are being indigenously developed,” she said.

Sharma mentioned that the clinical trials being carried out by Bharat Biotech are currently in phase-3, while the one which is being developed by Zydus Cadila is in the 2nd phase of its clinical trial.

“Vaccine candidate of Biological E is in it phase-1 clinical trials while Gennovabiopharmaceuticals is in the process of getting approvals at various levels. Serum Institute of India (SII) is also conducting phase 2 and 3 clinical trials of the Oxford-Astrazeneca vaccine. Similarly, Dr Reddy’s Laboratories is conducting phase 2 and 3 clinical trials for Russian vaccine Sputnik V,” she said.