Hyderabad-bassed Bharat Biotech has begun the human trials of COVAXIN, India’s first indigenous vaccine candidate the coronavirus infection, and all three subjects so far have tolerated it well.“Human trial with Corona vaccine (COVAXIN) of Bharat Biotech started at PGI Rohtak today. Three subjects were enrolled today. All have tolerated the vaccine very well. There were no adverse efforts,” tweeted Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij on Friday.
The Hyderabad-based pharma collaborated with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and National Institute of Virology, Pune, to develop the vaccine candidate. It was developed at Bharat Biotechs BSL-3 (Bio-Safety Level 3) high containment facility, which is located in the Genome Valley. Covaxin was the first indigenous vaccine candidate to receive the Drug Controller General of India V.G. Somani’s approval for human trial.Since then, Zydus Cadila Ltd’s vaccine candidate has also received DGCI approval for a 1,048-participant study and human dosing of the vaccine started earlier this week.