Harsh Vardhan said more than 100 start-ups have developed innovative products for Covid (file)
New Delhi:
From the development of indigenous vaccines to new point-of-care diagnostics, India has launched an integrated response to overcome the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, Union Minister Harsh Vardhan said on Saturday.
Speaking at the 8th BRICS STI ministerial meeting on Friday, Vardhan said India is also hosting clinical trials for all major vaccines and around 20 vaccines are in different stages of development.
Two of them are at the most advanced stage of development. COVAXIN developed thanks to the collaboration of ICMR-Bharat Biotech and COVISHIELD of the Serum Institute of India. Both are in phase III clinical trials, he added.
“India has launched an integrated response to overcome this unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic.
Valery Falkov, Russian Minister of Science and Higher Education, Marcos Pontes, Brazilian Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Huang Wei, First Deputy Minister of Science and Technology, China, Bonginkosi Emmanuel Nzimande, South African Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology and several other dignitaries from member countries attended the meeting.
Mr Vardhan said more than 100 start-ups have developed innovative products for COVID-19.
He said the government announced a $ 120 million grant for research into the COVID-19 vaccine. This is provided for CovidSuraksha (Covid Protection Mission) and is to be used only for research and development in this area, he said.
“The grant does not cover the actual cost of the vaccine and its distribution costs, which will be made separately as the vaccine becomes available,” he said.
Mr Vardhan said India is also hosting clinical trials for all of the major vaccine candidates. The Serum Institute of India, the world‘s largest vaccine manufacturer, is conducting trials for the vaccine developed by the University of Oxford, he said.
“One of our pharmaceutical giants, Dr Reddy’s labs, will distribute the Russian vaccine in India after conducting end-stage human trials and receiving regulatory approval,” the minister said.
Mr. Vardhan said India will actively contribute to the implementation of the BRICS STI 2020-2021 calendar of activities and support the continuation of scientific activities under the BRICS Memorandum of Understanding on Science, Technology and Technology. ‘innovation.
BRICS member leaders applauded India for the Promoting Opportunities For Women in Exploratory Research (SERB-POWER) program launched last month, the Ministry of Science and Technology said.
“We recently launched a ‘SERB-POWER’ program to encourage and support emerging and prominent women researchers to undertake R&D activities in the fields of science and engineering. he added.
(Except for the title, this story was not edited by GalacticGaming staff and is posted from a syndicated feed.)
