India developed 4 indigenous vaccines in just 2 years: Minister News Jani

New Delhi: Union Minister for Science and Technology Dr. Jitendra Singh on Friday said that under the able guidance and leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, India has developed four indigenous vaccines in just two years. Department of Biotechnology in the Ministry He said that Science and Technology has provided four vaccines through “Mission COVID Protection”, increased the production of Covaxin, and created the necessary infrastructure for the smooth development of future vaccines. So that our country is ready for the pandemic.

The four vaccines are – ZyCoV-D – the world’s first and India’s indigenously developed DNA vaccine, CORBEVAXTM – India’s first protein subunit vaccine, GEMCOVAC™-19 – the world’s first and India’s indigenously developed mRNA vaccine and iNCOVACC-World’s first and India’s indigenously developed intranasal COVID-19 vaccine.

Speaking after a high-level meeting with Secretary DBT Rajesh Gokhale and other senior officials of the department after the official launch of the Intranasal Covid vaccine, Dr. Jitender Singh pointed out that along with financial support for vaccine development, expert scientists and technical oversight and monitoring of various COVID-19 vaccine development activities, provided under this mission.

Dr. Jitendra Singh emphasized that in the wake of the pandemic crisis, the development of a vaccine for Covid-19 was given top priority by the Modi government and accordingly, the Government of India launched “Mission Covid Protection” was announced, with a total cost of Rs. 20 crores. 900 crore, under the Atmanirbhar Bharat 3.0 package. The minister pointed out that the aim was to develop safe, effective, affordable, and indigenous COVID-19 vaccines in a fast-paced manner.

Dr. Jitendra Singh emphasized that “Mission COVID Protection” also supported the addition of manufacturing facilities at Bharat Biotech’s Malver facility and Indian Immunological Limited, Hyderabad to increase production of COVAXIN®.

Dr. Jitender Singh said that “Mission COVID Protection” requires a strong Public Private Partnership (PPP) model to deliver vaccines on an urgent basis. DBT has the required strength and infrastructure to develop a model and work with the scientific community, as well as vaccine developers, to deliver vaccines in a short period of time, he said. The country and the international community needed it.

The minister also said that with its more than three decades of experience in vaccine research and development, DBT already has the core scientific strength through its autonomous institutes and an industry-academia interface agency, i.e. BIR. DBT has been tasked with enabling rapid vaccine development by AC. To lead the implementation of this mission through BIRAC.

Dr. Jitender Singh said, “The COVID-19 pandemic has brought serious challenges to the global scientific community in terms of infection management and prevention. The Government of India has been globally praised by the international community for its high-level leadership and its vision to tackle the pandemic.

Details of the 4 COVID-19 vaccines supported under Mission COVID Protection, which have received Emergency Use Authorization (EUA), are given below: 1. ZyCoV-D- World’s first and India’s indigenously developed DNA vaccine. Received EUA for use in the 12 years and older age group on August 20, 2021; then EUA on April 26, 2022 for a 2-dose regimen; 2. CORBEVAXTM- India’s first protein subunit vaccine. (Received EUA on December 29, 2021 for use in the 18-year-old age group; followed by February 22, 2022 for use in the 12-18-year-old age group; and April 26, 2022 for use in the 5-12-year-old age group For use in age group; added as heterologous on June 4, 2022 “precautionary dose”;3. GEMCOVAC™-19 – World’s first and India’s indigenously developed mRNA vaccine. (EUA received on 28 June 2022); 4. iNCOVACC-World’s first and India’s indigenously developed intranasal COVID-19 vaccine (EUA on September 6, 2022 for use in primary series for 18 years and above and homologous and heterologous boosters on November 25, 2022 received as).

Secretary, DBT, Gokhale informed that clinical trial sites supported under Mission Covid Protection have tested ZyCoV-D, Covovax, GEMCOVAC™-19, CORBEVAXTM, Covaxin Booster, rBCG (Serum Institute) and J&J’s COVID vaccine. Clinical trials have been facilitated. An electronic volunteer database of about 1.5 lakh articles has also been developed.

Animal challenge facilities and immunoassay labs at DBT autonomous institutions provide important services to vaccine developers.

The Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI), Faridabad, an autonomous institution of DBT, offers hamster models and neutralization assays for ZyCoV-D and CORBEVAXTM.

THSTI bioassay lab is also recognized as one of the 7 labs of the global CEPI network.

National Institute of Immunology (NII), New Delhi, an autonomous body of DBT, provides immunogenicity assay services for iNCOVACC Phase III clinical trials.

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