COVID-19 Vaccine Update: India to Start Phase 3 Trial of Coronavirus Vaccine Today or Tomorrow, Says NITI Aayog Member

India will begin phase 3 trial of an indigenously developed potential vaccine for coronavirus (COVID-19) infection from today or tomorrow, NITI Aayog member VK Paul said.

Coronavirus (Photo Credits: Pixabay)

New Delhi, August 18: India will begin phase 3 trial of an indigenously developed potential vaccine for coronavirus (COVID-19) infection from today or tomorrow, NITI Aayog member VK Paul told a press conference on Tuesday. VK Paul, however, did not reveal more information such as the name of the potential COVID-19 vaccine that will undergo the phase 3 trial. India has two indigenous vaccines - COVXIN and ZyCoV-D- which are undergoing human trials. COVAXIN Trial Update: Phase-I Human Clinical Trial of India's COVID-19 Vaccine Candidate Begins at AIIMS, 30-Year-Old Man Given First Dose.

"As far as Coronavirus vaccines are concerned, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had assured the country on Independence Day. He had said that three vaccines are being developed in India and are in different stages. One of them will enter phase 3 trial today or tomorrow," Paul said. COVAXIN is being developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), and National Institute of Virology. COVID-19 Vaccine Update: Russia Begins Production of Coronavirus Vaccine 'Sputnik V'.

COVAXIN has completed phase 1 human trials in just one month. Phase 1 of the vaccine trial was done on healthy people aged 18-55 years having no co-morbid conditions. It has begun its Phase 2 human trials. Human trials of COVAXIN are going on in 12 sites across India. Zydus Cadila is developing the other potential COVID vaccine ZyCoV-D. The doses of the vaccine administered to healthy volunteers in phase 1 clinical trial, which began on July 15.

Phase 2 trial of ZyCoV-D began on August 5. With ZyCoV-D, the company has successfully established the DNA vaccine platform in the country using non-replicating and a non-integrating plasmid carrying the gene of interest making it very safe. According to the ICMR, there are 141 vaccine candidates which are being studied the world over, out of which 26 are in different phases of the clinical trial.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 18, 2020 06:31 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).

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