After India faces extreme vaccine crisis in the second wave of COVID 19, there are other vaccines in the pipeline for India in the coming months. It is expected that India will have almost half a dozen vaccines following Covishield, Covaxin and Sputnik V by the end of the year. Earlier, the Centre stated that it desires to vaccinate the entire country by the end of December. Production of sufficient amount of vaccine will lessen the gap between supply and demand. This will also cut down the price of vaccines.
Here are the new vaccines that are in India’s pipeline .
COVOVAX
Apart from manufacturing Covishield, Serum Institute of India (SII) is also producing a protein based COVID 19 vaccine ‘NVX-CoV2373’ under the brand name of ‘Covovax’. SII’s production of the vaccine has already commenced. The vaccine was developed by US biotechnology company Novovax. As far bridging studies are concerned, Covovax are advancing in India. Once Novovax gets the required approval in terms of efficacy trials abroad, it is assumed that Serum Institute of India will do the same. It is anticipated that Covovax will roll out in the coming two to three months. Twenty crore of vaccines are expected to be produce by the end of December.
HGCO19
Another company in Pune, Gennova Biopharmaceuticals has developed India’s first mRNA COVID 19 vaccine called HGC019. The trial of this vaccine which started in the last month is in its Phase I stage. As yet, it has covered 120 volunteers. The company has been granted Rs 250 crore by the government. The vaccine is expected to be launched early next year.
NASAL VACCINE
Following Covaxin, Bharat Biotech is almost set to produce nasal vaccine by the end of the year. The vaccine is apparently under Phase I trial. According to its manufacturer, the intranasal vaccine BBV154 creates an immune response at the site of infection (in the nasal mucosa). This helps to block both infection and transmission of COVID 19. The company is likely to roll out ten crore of its nasal vaccine by December.
ZyCoV- D
In Gujarat, Zydus Cadlia, is set in producing an intradermal COVID 19 vaccine called ZyCoV-D. This vaccine is India’s first indigenously developed DNA vaccine candidate. It is presently being tested on children. As per reports, Zydus Cadila will request for emergency use authorization in two weeks. The vaccine is expected to roll out in months time. The company is likely to provide five crore doses by the end of the year.
CORBEVAX
In Hyderabad, Biological E has brought up a vaccine candidate named Corbevax. At this time, the vaccine is undergoing its Phase 3 clinical trials. It is a protein sub unit vaccine, similar to inactivated whole cell vaccines such as Covaxin, and does not contain live components of the virus. On Thursday, the government confirmed that it will make an advance payment of Rs 1500 crore to the company to book 30 crore doses of Corbevax, which is supposedly to roll out during the month of August and December. Among these 30 crore doses almost 7.5 crore doses are to be available by September.
PTX-COVID 19-B
Biological E is also set in the manufacturing of an mRNA vaccine. As the reports suggests, the company, has entered into an licensing agreement with the providence Therapeutics Holdings to manufacture the Canadian company’s mRNA COVID 19 vaccine in India. The vaccine is in under development in Canada and has been named PTX-COVID 19-B.
JANSSEN
In addition to the above two vaccines, Biological E is also bringing Johnson and Johnson COVID 19 vaccine in India. According to agreement, the Indian company has a deal to produce nearly 600 million doses of vaccine called Janssen. The vaccine has already been approved for use in the countries like the United States, the European Union, Thailand and South Africa.
SPUTNIK V
The production of Sputnik V suggests that apart from Covishield and Covaxin, this vaccine is likely to be the most used vaccine in India. Six companies are expected to produce Russia’s Covid vaccine Sputnik V. This includes Hetero Biopharma, Gland Pharma, Panacea Biotec, Stelis Biopharma, Virchow Biotech and Serum Institute of India. These companies are in track to manufacture million of doses of the Russian vaccine.
FOREIGN VACCINES
As experts suggests the only way to cope up with the third wave of COVID 19 is to ramp up production of vaccine, Indian companies are looking forward to utilize their manufacturing capabilities. They are targeting to increase foreign vaccine production via technology transfer. Cipla is close to assure one billion dollar as an advance payment for Moderna’s booster vaccine. Wockhardt also stated that it intend to get the technology transfer of COVID 19 vaccines in order to manufacture two billion doses in India.
Several vaccine in India’s pipeline suggest that India is almost prepared to fight against the third wave of COVID 19.
