India's indigenously developed vaccine against coronavirus COVAXIN has demonstrated an interim vaccine efficacy of 81 per cent in its Phase 3 clinical trial. The trials involved 25,800 subjects, the largest ever conducted in India, in partnership with ICMR, informed vaccine maker Bharat Biotech.
Covaxin is India's totally indigenous COVID-19 vaccine developed in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research and National Institute of Virology.
The vaccine is developed and manufactured in Bharat Biotech's BSL-3 (Bio-Safety Level 3) bio-containment facility, one of its kind in the world.
In Phase 1 and Phase 2 clinical trials, Covaxin demonstrated the ability to produce antibodies against Covid-19.
The Indian government has so far procured 5.5 million doses of Covaxin and issued a letter of comfort to company for another 4.5 million doses.
Bharat Biotech's Covaxin and AstraZenca's Covishield, being produced in India by the Serum Institute, are the two coronavirus vaccines the government has cleared for emergency use. Covishield has claimed efficacy of 70 per cent.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on Monday got the first dose of covid vaccine - Covaxin - kickstarting the second phase of vaccination in India for people above 60 and those aged 45 or older with comorbidities.
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