Centre, Bio-E seal deal for 30 cr jabs

It will be 2nd indigenous vaccine after Covaxin; Talks on to bring Pfizer, Moderna, J&J to India

The Centre has signed a deal for 30 crore vaccines with Hyderabad-based Biological-E that is making India’s second indigenous vaccine after Covaxin.

“The vaccine by Biological-E is undergoing Phase 3 clinical trials after showing promising results in Phase 1 and 2 clinical trials. The vaccine being developed by Biological-E is a RBD protein sub-unit vaccine and is likely to be available in the next few months. These 30 crore doses will be manufactured and stockpiled by Biological-E from August to December

2021. For this, the Union ministry of health would be making an advance payment of `1,500 crore to s Biological-E,” the ministry said on Thursday.

The Biological-E Covid vaccine candidate has been supported by Centre from preclinical stage to

Phase-3 studies during which the department of biotechnology has provided grant-in-aid of over

`100 crore and also partnered with Biological-E to conduct animal challenge and assay studies.

Meanwhile, India is trying to secure more vaccines from abroad.

“We are also part of discussions with major vaccine manufacturers like Pfizer, Johnson and Johnson, and Moderna about sourcing and possible local manufacturing of their vaccines in India. We have also helped to expedite the introduction of the Sputnik-V vaccine,” MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said. “Vaccines have complex supply chains. We have worked to ease regulatory disruptions to these supply chains with key partners through diplomatic interventions

Foreign Secretary Harsh V. Shringla said the government is in talks with major pharma firms to source, and locally manufacture Covid-19 vaccines.