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CMD Dr. Krishna Ella with researchers at Bharat Biotech
NEW DELHI: To accelerate the development of a vaccine against coronavirusThe Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has partnered with leading Indian vaccine manufacturer Bharat Biotech International Ltd (BBIL) to develop an indigenous vaccine using the virus isolate strain from the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune.
The virus strain was successfully transferred from NIV-Pune to BBIL and vaccine development work began between the two partners, an ICMR statement said Saturday. The ICMR and NIV-Pune will seek quick approvals to accelerate vaccine development, subsequent animal studies and clinical evaluation of the candidate vaccine, he said.
In reaction to the ICMR association, BBIL President and Managing Director Dr. Krishna Ella told TOI: “We are very proud to participate in this project of national importance with ICMR and NIV. We will do everything we can to make this program successful in our national effort to combat the Covid-19 pandemic. We are also proud to be the only company in the developing world to have a Biological Safety Level 3 Production Manufacturing Facility (in Hyderabad). ”
BBIL will work on the indigenous vaccine project simultaneously with its international program where it is developing a nasal vaccine, CoroFlu, in collaboration with the University of Wisconsin, Madison (U.S). Dr. Ella previously told TOI that the company is “hopeful that its Covid-19 nasal vaccine will hit the market in the next 12-18 months.”
Days before the desi vaccine project, BBIL also obtained approval from the Council of Scientists and Industrial research (CSIR) to develop human monoclonal antibodies as therapy for Covid-19 infection. The project aims at an alternative therapeutic regimen by generating specific human monoclonal antibodies that are capable of neutralizing the SARS-CoV2 virus. Such antibodies can block the spread of infection by binding to the virus and rendering it ineffective.
The company has so far developed 10 different viral vaccines. As a pioneer of the pandemic vaccine, BBIL had in the past delivered more than 5 billion doses of viral vaccines, including vaccines against Arabs.
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