Coronavirus Vaccine: Bharat Biotech Recruits 23,000 Volunteers For COVAXIN's Phase 3 Clinical Trial

Bharat Biotech is also developing India's first indigenous vaccine candidate. It is the third drugmaker to request government approval of its Covid vaccine.

In a major breakthrough for India amid the ongoing battle against the novel Coronavirus, Bharat Biotech on Saturday recruited 23,000 volunteers and continued progress towards achieving the goal of 26,000 participants across the country for the phase 3 trial of its coronavirus vaccine candidate 'Covaxin' in India.

As quoted by news agency ANI, an official said that "Bharat Biotech has announced successful recruitment of 23,000 volunteers, and continued progress towards achieving the goal of 26,000 participants for Phase-3 clinical trial of coronavirus vaccine "COVAXIN" across multiple sites in India."

The company's statement has come after the Subject Expert Committee (SEC) earlier today gave nod to the Bharat Biotech’s vaccine candidate 'Covaxin' for restricted emergency use.

The Phase III human clinical trials of 'Covaxin', which began in mid-November last year, require 26,000 volunteers across India, Bharat Biotech said in a statement. The company has already roped in 23,000 volunteers for the trials, it added.

Bharat Biotech is also developing India's first indigenous vaccine candidate. It is the third drugmaker to request government approval of its Covid vaccine. 64 ambassadors and high commissioners of various countries are visiting two key biotech companies in Hyderabad that are developing vaccines against coronavirus. They first stopped at Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech.



Meanwhile, the government has planned to vaccinate as many as 30 crore people in the first phase of vaccination drive. It will be offered to one crore healthcare workers, along with 2 crore frontline and essential workers and 27 crore elderly above the age of 50 years most of whom have co-morbidities.