India's Covid-19 Vaccine By August 15? ICMR Partners With Bharat Biotech To Fast Track Trial

ICMR has partnered with Bharat Biotech to speed up the process of clinical trials of the vaccines which are to be performed in 12 institutes. ICMR aims to launch the Covid-19 vaccine for the public by August 15th.

New Delhi: The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and Bharat Biotech International Limited (BBIL) have come together to ensure the success of the COVID vaccine and make it available to the public as soon as possible. In an official statement, ICMR Director General Balram Bhargava stated that ICMR aims to launch the indigenous COVID-19 vaccine by August 15.

"It is envisaged to launch the vaccine for public health use latest by 15th August 2020 after completion of all clinical trials. BBIL is working expeditiously to meet the target, however, the final outcome will depend on the cooperation of all clinical trial sites involved in this project," read the statement.

ICMR has developed the indigenous Covid-19 vaccine (BBV152 COVID vaccine) partnered with BBIL. The ICMR has selected 12 institutes for the clinical trial of the country's first indigenous Covid-19 vaccine, an official had said on Thursday.

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"This is the first indigenous vaccine being developed by India 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 the ICMR-National Institute of Virology, Pune. ICMR and BBIL are jointly working for the preclinical as well as clinical development of this vaccine," also said the statement.

Fast-track clinical trials of vaccine: ICMR

The 12 institutes have been asked by the ICMR to fast track clinical trials of the vaccine as it is being considered as one of the top priority projects which are being monitored at the topmost level of the government.

"You have been chosen as a clinical trial site of the BBV152 COVID Vaccine. In view of the public health emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic and urgency to launch the vaccine, you are strictly advised to fast track all approvals related to the initiation of the clinical trial and ensure that the subject enrollment is initiated no later than 7th July 2020," the letter added.

BBIL is working expeditiously to meet the target, however, the final outcome will depend on the cooperation of all clinical trial sites involved in this project, the ICMR told the selected institutes.