NO CALF SERUM IN COVAXIN: BHARAT BIOTECH

Amid a social media buzz that new-born calf’s serum is used in the manufacture of Covaxin, the producer firm Bharat Biotech on Wednesday clarified that the serum is “used for the growth of cells,” but this is neither used in the growth of SARS-CoV2 virus nor in the final formulation.”

The Union Ministry of Health too said there was no truth in the social media posts that Covaxin contains newborn calf ’s serum. “Facts have been twisted and misrepresented in these posts.”

Newborn Calf Serum, it said, is used only for preparation/growth of vero cells, or cells cultured for final use in vaccine manufacture. Different kinds of bovine and other animal serum are standard enrichment ingredient used globally for vero-cell growth.

Vero cells are used to establish cell lines which help in production of vaccines. This technique has been used for decades in Polio, Rabies, and Influenza vaccines.

These vero cells, after growth, are washed with water and chemicals, many times, to make them free from the newborn calf serum. Thereafter, these vero cells are infected with Coronavirus for viral growth. In the process, the cells are completely destroyed, the ministry explained.

At this stage, the virus grown in these vero cells is also killed (inactivated) and purified. This killed virus is then used to make the final vaccine. In the final vaccine formulation, no calf serum is used, it said.

NEWBORN CALF Serum, it said, is used only for preparation/growth of vero cells, or cells cultured for final use in vaccine manufacture. Different kinds of bovine and other animal serum are standard enrichment ingredient used globally for vero-cell growth.