Bharat Biotech's COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin gets approval for phase 3 trials

New Delhi, Oct 22: Covaxin, an indigenously developed vaccine candidate by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), has got clearance for phase three trials in India.

On October 2, the pharma company had applied to the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) asking its permission to conduct Phase 3 trials for its vaccine candidate.

"After detailed deliberation and based on the available evidences, the committee recommended for grant of permission to conduct Phase III clinical trial," the panel said in a statement.

Covaxin is the first indigenous vaccine developed by India against Covid-19 and is derived from a strain of SARS-CoV-2 isolated by ICMR-National Institute of Virology, Pune.

Its trial for phase one and two was already underway after receiving the approval from Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI).

Meanwhile, more than 100 coronavirus vaccine candidates are in different stages all across the world.

Almost three months back in July, BBIL was allowed to hold phase I and phase II of the human clinical trials.