Covid-19: India considering phase-3 clinical trial, production of Russia vaccine
India is actively considering Russia's request for holding phase-3 clinical trial and production of its Covid-19 vaccine Sputnik V by Indian firms, officials said.
There has been "significant movement" on both these fronts and specific outcomes are expected soon, reports our New Delhi correspondent quoting VK Paul, member (Health) of Niti Aayog, Indian government's policy think-tank, as saying.
His remark came as the total number of coronavirus cases across India mounted to 43,70,128, with the addition of 89,706 new patients in the last 24 hours. The death toll rose to 73,890 with 1,115 people succumbing to the disease in the meantime in the country.
VK Paul, who also chairs the national expert group on Covid-19 vaccine administration, told the media in New Delhi last night that Indian government attaches "great importance to this offer of partnership from a very special friend Russia to this nation".
He said Indian scientists have looked at the data on Sputnik V, which is in the public domain now, and there would be a need for the phase-3 trial.
Several Indian companies are currently studying the proposal by Russia, he added.
"The Russian outreach has been extended to several companies in India and a few of them have come forward while others are in discussions with the Russian counterparts and the government is facilitating that process of how that connect can be made. And there may be specific outcomes very soon in that regard," Paul said.
"It is good for Russia, good for India, and also excess capacities or specific part of the capacities can be offered to the rest of the world," he said.
Sputnik V has been developed by Russia's Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, along with the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF). The vaccine has not been tested in phase-3 or larger clinical trials.
As far as vaccine development in India is concerned, he said, three candidates are in different stages of clinical trials.
Two indigenously-developed vaccine candidates -- one by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research and the other by Zydus Cadila Ltd -- have completed phase 1 of the human clinical trial and moved to phase-2.
The Pune-based Serum Institute of India, which has partnered with AstraZeneca for manufacturing the Oxford Covid-19 vaccine candidate, has also started the process of conducting Phase-2 and 3 human clinical trials of the candidate.
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