On Wednesday, the government launched the ‘COVID Suraksha Mission’, which will assist the development process of approximately five to six Covid-19 vaccine candidates. Starting from the research and development part of the vaccines, the mission will help them obtain the license and finally bring them to the market. Since several vaccines are in the final phase of trials, this mission will ensure that there are sufficient doses of these vaccines once they are approved.
1. Mission Covid Suraksha involves a grant of Rs 900 crore.
2. The department of biotechnology will obtain this scholarship.
3. The mission aims to provide an end-to-end step for vaccines, from the preclinical stage to manufacturing.
4. The Center had announced this package during the third stimulus.
5. The department is supporting the development of 10 vaccines. Five vaccine candidates are in human trials, including the Russian Sputnik-V vaccine.
6. The objective of the project is also to establish clinical trial sites and strengthen existing immunoassay laboratories, central laboratories and adequate facilities for animal studies, production facilities and other testing facilities to support the development of the Covid-19 vaccine, said the DBT.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has recently met with the chief ministers of state via video conference and called on states to be prepared.
“It is not yet decided if there will be one, two or three doses of vaccine. Their prices are not decided either. We do not have answers to these questions at this time, as there are different people in the world who do. The business world is involved, there is competition between them, the countries have their diplomatic interests, they have to wait for the WHO as well ”, said Modi.
Five vaccines are in different phases of clinical trial in India with the Serum Institute of India conducting the phase 3 trial of the Oxford-Astrazeneca Covid-19 vaccine, while the Bharat Biotech and ICMR vaccine developed in the country has already Phase III clinical trial started. The indigenously developed vaccine by Zydus Cadila has completed the phase 2 clinical trial in the country. Dr Reddy’s Laboratories will soon begin the combined phase 2 and 3 clinical trials of the Russian Covid-19 Sputnik V vaccine in India.
Biological E. Ltd has begun the first phases 1 and 2 of human trials of its Covid-19 vaccine candidate.
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