Covaxin, a candidate vaccine developed indigenously by Bharat Biotech, obtained authorization for the phase three trial in India. A leading source said that rehearsals will begin in the first week of November.
The source further said that 18-19 sites have been selected for the trial and more than 22,000 volunteers have been selected. Bharat Biotech, in its report last month, had said that an animal study has shown that its vaccine candidate has helped develop a strong immune response to the highly infectious coronavirus.
Covaxin is the first indigenous vaccine developed by India against Covid-19 and is derived from a strain of SARS-CoV-2 isolated by ICMR-National Institute of Virology, Pune.
ICMR and Bharat Biotech are working together for the clinical and preclinical development of this vaccine. His trial for phase one and two was already underway after receiving approval from the Comptroller General of Drugs of India (DCGI).
The DCGI had enabled two vaccines, one developed by Bharat Biotech International Limited in collaboration with ICMR and the other by Zydas Cadila Healthcare Ltd, to participate in phase I and II human clinical trials.
In recent years, India has become a major vaccine manufacturing center, with Indian manufacturers accounting for 60% of vaccine supplies shipped to UNICEF.
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