Drug Controller's panel recommends Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin for restricted emergency use

Aditi Tandon
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, January 2

Two COVID 19 vaccines have appeared on the Indian horizon with experts reviewing safety data on Saturday recommending approval for indigenous candidate COVAXIN along with Serum Institute’s Covishield which they cleared yesterday.

The subject expert committee of the Central Drug Standards Control Organization which is tasked with studying trial data held a meeting today to review additional efficacy information submitted by Bharat Biotech-ICMR’s COVAXIN and later recommended approval for the vaccine.

While Covishield is a collaboration between Oxford University, AstraZeneca and Serum Institute, Bharat Biotech is working with ICMR’s National Institute of Virology on COVAXIN.

COVAXIN is also a two dose vaccine like Covishield and can be stored at 2 to 8 degree.

With the experts recommending approvals to both vaccines, the Drug Controller General of India will now take the final call which would lead to formal licensure being granted to both the companies for their vaccine rollout.

DCGI may announce approvals later today, it is learnt, with dry run for COVID 19 vaccine successfully conducted in 116 districts across India on Saturday.