India Enters The Race To Search For The COVID-19 Vaccine

Numerous companies and research institutes in India have begun to participate in an international race to search for the COVID-19 vaccine against the pandemic that is killing at least nearly 240,000 today.   

In particular, Bharat Biotech is cooperating with the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the US vaccine company FluGen to develop a COVID-19 vaccine called CoroFlu.

The vaccine is currently in phase 2 of clinical trials.

Dr Krishna Ella, chairman and chief executive officer of Bharat Biotech International Limited, said:

"We believe this vaccine will be effective against both COVID-19 and the flu."

He said the University of Wisconsin-Madison will end animal testing in the next 4 to 6 months. Thereafter the Bharat Company was capable of producing 300 million doses per year. The vaccine will also begin human testing so that CoroFlu will be ready for use by the second half of 2020 or early 2021.

Dr. Ella said:

"Once licensed for use, the COVID-19 vaccine will be mass produced to provide it globally."

The company aims to make the vaccine

"Easily accessible and affordable for low-income countries."

 he added.

The Indian Serum Institute has started producing a vaccine to prevent COVID-19 as soon as human trials are still taking place at Oxford University in England.

The Serum Institute is reviewing the production of 60 million doses and has shown prices as low as 1,000 rupees ($ 18.8).

Experts say India has the ability to expand production scale fast and at low cost.

"If the vaccine is available and needs to be supplied globally, we will put it on a larger scale of production."

said Dr. K. Srinath Reddy, President of the Indian Public Health Foundation (PHFI).

India is currently the third largest drug manufacturer in the world with a pharmaceutical industry worth about US $ 38 billion per year. It is a global drug supplier for a wide range of diseases and is known for producing high quality and low cost medicines.

 India meets 50 - 60% of the world's demand for a range of vaccines, 40% of generic drugs are consumed in the US and 25% of the total amount of drugs distributed in the UK, according to Trade Union reports. India and Industry.

Other Indian companies that are also developing vaccines include Biological E, Immune India and Mynvax, developing a vaccine. Zydus Cadila is developing two vaccines.

"India has the ability to explore, develop and produce vaccines in large quantities."

 Said Pankaj R. Patel, president of Zydus Cadila Pharmaceutical Company.

His company is working on two vaccines, including DNA vaccine targeting the viral membrane protein.

"The vaccine is currently in animal testing and if the results are successful, it will go into clinical trials in the second quarter of this fiscal year."

 Said Patel. The company is also exploring the use of the biological drug Interferon alfa-2b to treat COVID-19.