Govt's Expert Panel Likely To Take Up Applications For Three More COVID-19 Vaccines This Week

In what could give a big push to India's ongoing nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive, the subject expert committee (SEC) of the Central Drugs Standard Organisation (CDSCO) is expected to take up the applications of three different vaccines sometime this week, reports Hindustan Times.

One is the three-dose DNA technology-based COVID-19 vaccine ZyCoV-D developed by Ahmedabad based pharmaceutical major Zydus Cadila. The CDSCO's SEC is likely to take up the application filed the company for an emergency use authorisation.

The other vaccine that is likely to be taken up for consideration is Covovax which is being manufactured by the Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII). Originally developed by pharmaceutical major Novavax, the said vaccine is presently undergoing trials. However, SII has already begun at-risk advanced manufacturing of the vaccine.

The production of Covovax's first batch at SII had begun in June. The company had meanwhile launched its clinical trials in India in March.

Further, the SEC might also deliberate on the EUA for single-dose Russian COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik Light.