‘Tata in talks over Moderna vaccine’

Tata Group’s health care venture is said to have started initial discussions with Moderna Inc for a partnership to launch its Covid-19 vaccine in India, according to a report on Monday. Tata Medical & Diagnostics could team up with the India’s Council of Scientific and Industrial Research to carry out clinical trials of Moderna’s vaccine candidate in India, the Economic Times report said, citing officials familiar with the matter. Moderna did not respond to Reuters request for a comment outside business hours, while Tata Medical & Diagnostics did not immediately respond. Unlike Pfizer’s vaccine, which must be kept at minus 70 degrees Celsius or below, Moderna’s can be stored at normal fridge temperatures, making it more suited for poorer countries such as India where cold chains are limited.