Covid Vaccine by March, Govt. hopeful

• Availability & Distribution big problem 
  

Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group
New Delhi, Oct 25

Even as a high-level National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration is working hard to prepare a blue-print as to who should be given the Vaccine first and how, encouraging reports are emerging about success of at least ten vaccines under trials globally.

The Prime Minister’s Task Force handling Vaccine program in tandem with countries and world agencies, is hopeful of availability of 3-4 vaccines early next year. Dr V K Paul headed Task Force reviewed Vaccine availability. Of them, at least three vaccines in India are at Phase-III of the trials of ten global vaccines undergoing phase-III trials. In addition to these 10, five Chinese vaccines are under trials in 20 countries and one is showing some success. A UAE minister was injected with the Chinese vaccine last week and is feeling fine.

The Bharat Biotech-ICMR joint venture drug Covaxin, ZydusCadila (phase-II) and Seerum-AstraZenca’s Covidshield is at Phase-III stage. In addition, Biological E, a Hyderabad based company is also testing a vaccine. This apart, Sputink V of Russia is also in phase II stage and crosses the hump for phase III trials.

Of the 154 vaccines in the preclinical phase, 44 in clinical trials, of which 10 are already in phase 3 trials, the first major success on this score may emerge by early next year. Florian Krammer, Professor of Vaccinology at the Icahn School of Medicine, Mount Sinai, U.S, Dr. Gagandeep Kang of Christian Medical College, Vellore and other experts said at a webinar said vaccines will be available early. Even if vaccines are eventually licensed and enter the market, there will be many hurdles to be crossed.

Dr Randeep Guleria, Director, AIIMS, said separately that it will take at least a year to immunize the whole country. He emphasized that India will have to keep evolving its vaccine distribution strategy, keeping in mind what is best for the country. Other experts felt that issues relating to large-scale production, distribution, success of the vaccine after it is inoculated, how long immunity will last etc. will need more careful handling.

India cautious in buying Russian Vaccine

PM Task Force on Covid Vaccine to meet again

Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

New Delhi, Aug 13

The Prime Minister’s high-powered Task Force on Vaccine headed by Dr V K Paul will be formulating its strategy to obtain the Russian vaccine to fight Covid pandemic.

The multi-member committee which met for several hours yesterday has not only to submit its report to the Prime Minister about the efficacy of the Russian Sputnik-V but also in how much quantity and what should be the funding mechanism.

The Task Force has to take a crucial decision about whether to procure several other Covid Vaccine candidates being manufactured in various parts of the world.

The Indian government has not assigned any fund for the research & development for Covid vaccines. Five vaccines are in the advanced stage of producing it including three Western and two Chinese. These all are in Phase 3 efficacy trials involving thousands of people.

Oxford University, working with the Swedish-British pharmaceutical group AstraZeneca, hopes to have results by September, while the US biotech company Moderna, partnering with the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), is aiming for the end of the year, possibly November.

The Trump administration has spent nearly $ 10 billion to seven vaccine developers and signed manufacturing contracts with five of them to provide nearly one billion doses.

Japan is also negotiating with three suppliers and Britain is also signing deals with such manufacturers.

But India is banking on its own Convaxin being jointly produced by Bharat Biotech-ICMR and Zydus which are still in phase-I and Phase-II trials. The Task Force has to urgently take a view on Russian vaccine as it’s a friendly country. The presence of the secretary of the ministry of external affairs in the meeting indicates that India will try to obtain the Russian vaccine. The modalities are being worked out, these sources say.

PM Task Force Scouts for Covid Vaccine as Russia set to hit the market

Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

New Delhi, Aug 10

India is scouting on a war footing basis to obtain Covid vaccine as many leading global companies have gone into phase 3 trials. The Russian University has signaled to register its wonder drug early next week and go into mass production.

The Prime Minister’s Task Force on Vaccine procurement & management headed by Dr V K Paul is keeping a close watch on vaccines being tested by global players like Oxford, Cansino and Pfizer which have gone into phase-3 trials. With Indian vaccine trials still at an early stage, the PM’s Task Force is exploring alternative sources to procure vaccines from global sources.

According to WHO at least 165 vaccines for Coronavirus were being developed and 23 of them are in human trials including two drugs being tested in India. These drugs are still a far cry. 

Official sources, however, concede that India will have some difficulty as it has not made advance payments or invested in research & development of vaccines in any global company like many rich nations.

These sources insist “some grants have been made available from the department of biotechnology.” But these are meager amounts.

The Task Force is banking on the Bill Gates Milinda Foundation and also on Covax (Covid-19 Vaccine Global Access) in which some Indian companies and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation have partnered. It is expected that this alliance (Gavi) will supply vaccines to low- and medium-income countries. The WHO’s Somumya Swaminathan has been on record that countries could go in for bilateral deals and it is for them to take the risk.

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) recently said in an official statement that the Covid vaccine be Made available to the health workers first. But a lot of efforts will be needed as demand for the covid vaccine will be huge as and when it hits the market.

At least one manufacturer of the vaccine in India told Lokmat on the condition of anonymity said that the government had not initiated any discussion with it on procurement of vaccines. India has the capability to produce two billion doses of vaccine.