The approval of human clinical studies on the newest Coronavirus pandemic which have infected more than 1,12 persons worldwide and leftover 5.3 lakhs dead, according to the government of two candidate vaccines, COVAXIN and ZyCov-D, marks a “start-up on Sunday.”
A letter from Science and Technology ‘s Ministry confirmed with an encouraging note that there are currently over 100 vaccine applicants worldwide, 11 of them in human trials.
India's #COVID19 vaccine trial "marks beginning of the end": centre https://t.co/Rbqv3g2FGu pic.twitter.com/oEwhW97Up3
— NDTV (@ndtv) July 5, 2020
The Ministry ‘s letter added that ‘ The node of Drug Controller General of India (CDSCO), in conducting a human vaccine trial marks the beginning of the end.
“The development of a vaccine COVID-19 was done by six Indian companies. Over 11 in the world out of 140 vaccine candidates are in human testing along with two Indian vaccines, COVAXIN and ZyCov-D,” said the Minister of Justice.
The Ministry also said manufacturers of AZD1222 (British company AstraZeneca), two of the key candidates, MRNA-1273 (US-based Moderna), had entered into manufacturing agreements with indigenous companies to ensure safe and effective vaccines.
For the II, III phase trials, both were approved.
The first two steps of pharmaceutical products usually test for protection while the third tests for the efficacy of the drug. It can take months or even years to complete each process.
The announcement of the Ministry comes in a row from the ICMR letter of 15 August – Independence Day – as the deadline for coronavirus vaccine issue.
An earlier letter version included this line: None of these (the 11 human-assayed coronavirus vaccines) are possibly able to be mass-use before 2021.”
Previous to crucial elections in Bihar late this year, the date is set to assist Prime Minister Narendra Modi in reaching policy results, medical experts and opposition parties believed. They also cautioned that rushing drugs can pose significant health risks through tests.
On Saturday, the ICMR defended its letters and just wanted “in the recruitment of participants to the court, cutting excessive administrative procedures without bypassing any required procedure.”
“The ICMR procedure is precisely in line with internationally agreed vaccine safety criteria …,” the agency said.
The approvals for this week’s Phase I, II trials were approving COVAXIN, developed by Bharat biotech and ZyCov-D, developed by Zydus Cadila in Hyderabad.
Phase I tests are scheduled to be completed in 28 days for COVAXIN developed in partnership with the ICMR – a process that could track the vaccine candidate’s release for August 15.
It is, however, unknown how the Phase II, III trials may be initiated without completion.
The application for developer Bharat Biotech, accessed by NDTV, listing 15 months of clinical trial duration, which is consistent with the Ministry of Science’s 2021 estimate.
Dozens of vaccine applicants are currently evolving to fight the coronavirus pandemic at various levels across the globe.
Within this race, India, the leading producer of generic and vaccines, will play a key role. The country is among the four most seriously affected by the COVID-19 virus and has so far reported over 6.7 lakh cases.