Covaxin Phase 3 Trial Data Looks Good Says Soumya Swaminathan As Bharat Biotech Awaits WHO Approval

New Delhi: There is good news for Bharat Biotech, India's indigenous vaccine maker. The covaccine of Bharat Biotech, which is awaiting the approval of the World Health Organization, has also been considered effective by the Chief Scientist of WHO and has praised it fiercely. WHO Chief Scientist Dr. Soumya Swaminathan said on Thursday that the data of Bharat Biotech's vaccine trial is looking good. As the vaccine awaits WHO approval, Swaminathan said the pre-submission meeting was held on June 23 and data packets for its trials are now being collected.

In an interview to CNBC-TV18, Soumya Swaminathan said that the data from the Phase III trial of the vaccine is good. He has also seen the variants. Overall its efficacy is quite high. Although the effectiveness of the vaccine against the delta variant is low, it is still very good. The scientist further said that the safety profile of the vaccine so far meets the WHO standards.

He said that we keep a close watch on all the vaccines that have got emergency use listing. We continue to look for more and more data. Swaminathan said that except the US, most parts of the world have seen a spurt in corona cases and there has been no reduction in the number of deaths. Swaminathan suggested primary vaccination of at least 60-70 percent of the population in India. He said that India can take inspiration from countries like Britain, which are planning booster shots and can learn from them. However, he clarified that the WHO will not recommend booster shots anytime soon. The focus should be on broadening the scope of primary vaccination.

Let us tell you that the results of the third phase trial of Covaccine have been revealed. Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech said that it has analyzed the data from the final phase-3 for the covaccine and its covaccine has been found to be effective in severe patients of corona and patients of delta variant. According to the data of the trial released by Bharat Biotech, the indigenous vaccine has been found to be 77.8 percent effective against the corona in the final phase trial. At the same time, this vaccine has been found to be 65.2% effective against dangerous delta variants causing new tension worldwide.

Actually, Covaccine has been developed jointly by ICMR and Bharat Biotech. So far, this vaccine is no longer included in the list of emergency use of the World Health Organization, due to which many countries have not approved the travel of people who have got the vaccine. Earlier, the World Health Organization had asked Bharat Biotech to provide more details on listing its covaccine vaccine for emergency use. In a document released on the website of the World Health Organization, it was said that Bharat Biotech had submitted the EOI i.e. Expression of Interest on 19 April. More information is needed in this regard.