AMN
Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa today launched the third stage clinical trials of Covid 19 vaccine named Covaxin in Bengaluru. Covaxin developed by Hyderabad based Bharat Biotech limited will undergo clinical trials in Vydehi Medical Sciences and Research Institute under Atma Nirbhar Bharat yojana.
The Indian Council of Medical Research has permitted the institute to conduct the third phase trials of Covaxin. AIR correspondent reports, the Covaxin will be given to the volunteers in two doses this month. The volunteers are above the age of 18 years and are tested negative for the virus and are asymptomatic. The state run Drugs Controller General of India will analyse the data procured from the trials. Once the vaccine receives the efficacy level, its mass production can be taken up.
The Karnataka Health and Medical Education minister Dr. K Sudhakar has informed that 26000 volunteers will be administered Covaxin in the third phase, out of which 1600 to 1800 volunteers are from Karnataka. He informed that the Central Government has sanctioned 900 crore rupees for research to develop the vaccine within the country. The country, he added, is also capable of producing 20 percent of global demand for the Covid vaccines being developed by different companies.