COVAXIN Vaccine Phase 1 Trial Complete
India’s first indigenous vaccine COVAXIN has completed Phase 1 of human trials with promising results. Watch our latest video to find out more.
Hyderabad based Bharat Biotech had announced that Phase 1 clinical trials of COVAXIN began across the country on 15th July. COVAXIN is India’s indigenous vaccine. The Phase 1 human clinical trials for COVAXIN is being conducted to see if the vaccine is safe and how much of the dose can be administered. The ICMR has selected 12 medical institutions across India to conduct the clinical trials of Covaxin. In Phase 1 the vaccine would be tested on 375 volunteers. The Phase 2 will have about 750 volunteers. The process for conducting the clinical trials for COVAXIN has started at SRM Medical College Hospital and Research Centre Chennai.
On Thursday 23rd July selected volunteers were given their first dose at Chennai's SRM Medical College Hospital and Research Centre. A group of healthy people between the age of 18 and 55 years with no comorbidities were given a controlled dose of Covaxin during the first phase trial. Dr A Sundaram, Dean of Medical Research at SRM Medical College Hospital and Research said, "Every week the volunteers who have been administered the vaccine will come for a checkup here. We will test them and review their responses. This will go on for about six months. We will keep sending the results and observations to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)."
5 volunteers will be vaccinated on Friday 24th July in the first phase of human clinical trials at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi. About 3,500 people have registered with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) to take part in the vaccine trials. All volunteers will be between the age of 12-65 years. 3,500 people who have volunteered for the vaccine trial are being screened for various parameters at AIIMS. About 50 types of tests including diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, kidney and liver diseases are being conducted on participants to ensure that they are healthy and fit for the trial. Phase 1 of the trials are complete and the results are promising. Phase 2 has started. The vaccine has to clear Phase 1, 2 and 3 of trials only then it will be ready for approval and public use. ICMR had previously said that it aims to make the vaccine available by 15th August. But Bharat Biotech’s Founder Dr Krishna Ella feels it's too early to announce a launch date.
