Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya on Tuesday, 28 December, announced that the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) had approved two more COVID-19 vaccines and COVID-19 pill for restricted emergency use in India.
Two COVID-19 vaccines which are approved for restricted emergency use in India named Corbevax and Covovax. And Covid-19 pill from merck Molnupiravir is amongst the approved antiviral for COVID-19 in India.
CORBEVAX vaccine is India's 1st indigenously developed receptor binding domain protein sub-unit vaccine against COVID19, made by Hyderabad-based firm Biological-E (BioE). It is now the 3rd vaccine developed in India. In April 2021, the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) announced that it would fund the expansion of BioE's manufacturing capabilities, so that it could produce at least 1 billion doses by the end of 2022.
In phase I clinical trial was carried out to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of the vaccine candidate and phase II concluded in April 2021. In April 2021, the Drugs Controller General of India permitted the vaccine candidate to start phase III clinical trials.
The Nanoparticle Vaccine, COVOVAX, will be manufactured by Pune-based firm Serum Institute of India. Novavax signed an agreement with Serum Institute of India for mass scale production for developing and low-income countries. It has also been reported that the vaccine will be manufactured in Spain and in Poland by the Mabion company.
On 26 May 2021, Serum Institute of India said that it has started the production of the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine candidate (branded as Covovax in India) after receiving permission from the Indian government. On 17 December 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) validated the vaccine for emergency use.
Molnupiravir, an antiviral drug, will now be manufactured in the country by 13 companies for restricted use under emergency situation for treatment of adult patients with COVID-19 and who have high risk of progression of the disease. Recently, a few days before, it was approved by the US FDA for emergency use in COVID-19.
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