NEW DELHI/HYDERABAD/MUMBAI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday undertook a whirlwind trip to Ahmedabad, Hyderabad and Pune for reviewing the Covid vaccine development and manufacturing process by Zydus Cadila, Bharat Biotech and Serum Institute of India.
At each of the three facilities, Modi spent over an hour each, took a tour of the facilities, met top executives and interacted with scientists to understand the trial status, issues and challenges being faced in vaccine development.
He also asked scientists for their opinion on how the country could further improve its regulatory process and sought their suggestions to improve the process of vaccine distribution.
While the indigenously developed vaccine Covaxin by Bharat Biotech, in collaboration with ICMR, is undergoing phase 3 testing, another developed by Zydus Cadila is now in the second stage of human trials. SII, on the other hand, has partnered with AstraZeneca-Oxford University to scale up the production of Covishield, which is also being tested on 1,600 volunteers in India.
“The prime minister’s visit serves as a great inspiration to our team, and further reinforces our commitment towards scientific discovery, solving public health issues, and the nation’s fight against Covid-19,” Bharat Biotech said in a statement.
Zydus Cadila said it is committed to the Atmanirbhar Bharat Mission and to provide the nation safe and efficacious vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics for fighting Covid Following the PM’s visit, SII CEO Adar Poonawala said his company will apply to the country’s drug regulator for emergency use authorization of Covishield in next two weeks.
Interim analysis of the vaccine, from its late stage trial in Brazil and the UK, showed that its average efficacy in two different dosing regimens was 70.4 %. He said that the Oxford vaccine will first be used in India and African countries. “The price will be affordable and accessible to everyone. The Union health ministry wants the 300 to 400 million doses by June-July 2021. We are working on that timeline.”
SII in process of getting emergency licence
Serum Institute of India, which is manufacturing Covishield vaccine in colloboration with Oxford-AstraZeneca, is in the process of applying for emergency use authorization