Indian Govt. looks at Aug. 15 launch for COVID-19 vaccine

Looking at launching the country’s first indigenous COVID-19 vaccine for public health use latest by August 15, 2020 after completion of all clinical trials,

the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has directed “strict fast track for all approvals related to initiation of the clinical trial and ensure that the subject enrolment is initiated no later than 7th July 2020.”

In its letter, the ICMR said that the Council had partnered with Bharat Biotech International Limited (BBIL) to fast-track clinical trials of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Bharat Biotech had recently received a nod for a clinical trial of its vaccine — Covaxin

“This is the first indigenous vaccine being developed by lndia and is one of the top priority projects which is being monitored at the topmost level of the Government.

The vaccine is derived from a strain of SARS- CoV-2 isolated by ICMR-National Institute of Virology, Pune.

ICMR and BBIL