PM Modi chairs key meet on COVID-19 drug discovery status

New Delhi, May 05: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday took a detailed review of the current status of India's efforts in vaccine development, drug discovery, diagnosis and testing.

Over 30 Indian vaccines are in different stages of corona vaccine development, with a few going on to the trial stages.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting of the task force on coronavirus vaccine development and took a detailed review of the current status of India's efforts in vaccine development, drug discovery, diagnosis and testing, a statement from the Prime Minister's office said.

"Indian vaccine companies have come across as innovators in early-stage vaccine development research. Similarly, Indian academia and start-ups have also pioneered in this area. Over 30 Indian vaccines are in different stages of vaccine development, with few going on to trial stages," it said.

IICT has also started technology demonstrations for drug manufacturers such as Cipla so that the manufacturing can begin in India. Remdesivir, which is manufactured by Gilead Sciences is the first drug to treat COVID-19 and has been approved in emergency use in the US based on clinical data.

Union Health Minister, Dr Harsh Vardhan in a statement said that synthesis of KSMs has been achieved by CSIR-IICT and that technology demonstrations to Indian industry are happening. With regard to Favipiravir, which is another promising drug, CSIR is working with the private sector for clinical trials and also a possible launch in India.