Second Made-in-India Covid-19 vaccine coming, Centre signs deal for 30 cr doses

In another landmark move in the fight against Covid19 pandemic the Central government has booked 30 crore doses of another MadeinIndia vaccine to be manufactured by Hyderabadbased BiologicalEs Covid vaccine which is still in final phase of clinical trialsBiologicalEs vaccine is currently in Phase3 clinical trials after showing promising results in Phase 1 and 2 and it is likely to be available in the market in next few months said a Ministry of Health and Family Welfare MoHFW statementThe Ministry is learnt to have made an advance payment of Rs 1500 crore to the firm the second madeinIndia vaccine manufacturer after Bharat Biotechs CovaxinThe doses will be manufactured and stockpiled by BiologicalE from August to December and is likely to be available in the next few months the Ministry saidThe move is expected to be a sigh of relief for the Centre facing wide criticism amid shortage of Covid19 vaccine during the second wave of the pandemicAlso Read We canrsquot be mute spectators when constitutional rights of citizens are infringed SCBiologicalEs shot the Ministry said was given Rs 100 crore in financial assistance by the Department of Biotechnology which also partnered with the company to conduct various studiesThis is part of the governments mission to support five or six new Covid19 vaccine candidates said the statementBiologicalEs indigenous vaccine was recommended for approval by the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for Covid19 or National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for Covid19BiologicalE also has a separate deal to produce about 600 million doses of Johnson and Johnsons Covid19 shot annually The company said on Tuesday it entered into a licensing agreement with Providence Therapeutics Holdings to manufacture mRNA Covid19 vaccines in IndiaBesides Covaxin and Serum Institute of Indias Covishield Russias Sputnik V will soon be used to vaccinate people as the government races towards a target of one crore vaccinations a day by August It is also in talks with foreign makers like Pfizer and Moderna who have insisted on an indemnity clauseThe new vaccine arrangement is part of the wider endeavour of the government to encourage indigenous vaccine manufacturers by providing them support in research and development and costs the Centre saidThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever