HYDERABAD: In a major fillip to vaccine production and supply in India, the National Institute of Animal Biotechnology (NIAB) located in Hyderabad has now been notified as a Central Drugs Laboratory (CDL) and will be upgraded for the same using PM Cares Funds.
The announcement was made by the Ministry of Science & Technology on Saturday, stating that the move was to regulate the testing of Covid-19 vaccines for a quick release of vaccine batches. According to a press release by the government, the NIAB along with National Centre for Cell Science (NCCS) in Pune can now be used to test up to 60 batches of vaccine a month. This would make it easier for manufacturers to have them tested instead of sending them all the way to the Himachal Pradesh CDL.
The move assumes significance since it was Telangana IT Minister KT Rama Rao who had voiced his demand for NIAB to be notified as a CDL way back in July, 2020. This was following an interaction with leading vaccine makers where industry leaders had briefed him about the delay they faced because of having to send samples to the Himachal Pradesh CDL. The process was adding to logistical hurdles. Rama Rao then followed up on the matter with the Union government.