Hyderabad: Telangana IT and Industry Minister KT Rama Rao on Tuesday visited the vaccine production facility of Bharat Biotech in Genome Valley.
Bharat Biotech CMD Dr. Krishna Ella, Mrs Suchitra Ella and Telangana Life Sciences & Pharma Director Shakthi Nagappan accompanied the Telangana Minister.
In a series of tweets, Telangana Minister KTR said: "It is said time and again that India’s vaccine sector will play a critical role in developing and producing vaccines at scale for distribution across the world. Hyderabad’s importance in the global vaccine landscape is only growing."
"It is a matter of immense pride that the city of Hyderabad produces more than 1/3rd of the global vaccines. This is a significant feat and was only possible because of the relentless efforts of all of you," he added.
Earlier, the human clinical trials for Covaxin, a vaccine candidate for COVID-19 being developed by Bharat Biotech was initiated across the country in 375 volunteers, the company sources said.
Telangana IT Minister KT Rama Rao visits Bharat Biotech today
"India's first indigenous COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin initiated phase-1 clinical trials across the country on 15th July 2020. This is a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial in 375 volunteers in India," the sources said.
As far as clinical trials are concerned, "double-blind" means neither patient nor researcher knows who is getting a placebo and who is getting the treatment.
Telangana IT Minister KT Rama Rao visits Bharat Biotech today
The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) had permitted two vaccines -- one developed by the Bharat Biotech International Limited in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research and another one by ZydusCadila Healthcare Ltd to go in for the first and second phase of human clinical trials.
There are two Indian vaccine candidates that have undergone successful toxicity studies in rats, mice and rabbits and this data was submitted to the DCGI, following which both got clearance to start an early phase human trials earlier this month, ICMR Director-General Dr Balram Bhargava had said.
Also Read:Bharat Biotech's COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials done on 375 volunteers
