NEW DELHI — India’s top health research body – Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and a leading vaccine manufacturing company – Bharat Biotech International Limited (BBIL) will develop an indigenous COVID-19 vaccine, Xinhua news agency reported officials as saying.
A statement issued by ICMR late Saturday evening said that the vaccine will be developed using the virus strain that has been isolated at ICMR-NIV, Pune.
The details of the virus strain have been successfully transferred from NIV to Hyderabad-based BBIL.
“ICMR and BBIL will seek fast-track approvals to expedite vaccine development, subsequent animal studies and clinical evaluation of the vaccine,” the research body said.
The number of COVID-19 cases in India Sunday reached 62,939 and the death toll rose to 2,109.
