After the announcement that the indigenous coronavirus vaccine COVAXIN would be out by 15th August, the human trials are set to be conducted. Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has decided to start the human trails of COVAXIN and the country’s second potential drug against pandemic ZyCoV-D from this month.
A total of 2,000 people would be administered the vaccines as a part of the trial process. ZyCoV-D drug made by Zydus Cadila group has received approval from the Drug Controller General of India (DGCI) to initiate phase 1 and phase 2 human clinical trials. After the phase 1 and phase 2 trial (if it shows success) the vaccine would move to phase 3 trials.
“If phase-3 trials come into the picture, then it will take another 3 months before the vaccine gets available in the market“, said Pankaj Patel Zydus Cadila group chairman. The ZyCoV-D showed a “strong immune response” in animal studies says the Cadila group. Antibodies produced by the vaccine were able to neutralize the wild type virus indicating the protective potential.
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The COVAXIN will soon start a human trial on over 1,100. This would also be ion 2 phases. Bharat Biotech, an unlisted Indian vaccine maker, received regulatory approval to start human clinical trials for its experimental shot. In the first 375 people would be given the vaccine. However, even if it succeeds in the 2 phases the 15th August deadline is unrealistic and unpractical and rather it would take some more time to get the vaccine out if all goes well.
