Addressing a press briefing, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said Zydus Cadila, Sputnik V, Biological E and Gennova are other vaccines also in the pipeline which are in advanced clinical trials in India.
"In the coming days you may see some of these vaccines too approaching the drug controller for emergency use authorisation," Bhushan said.
Elaborating further, Bhushan said Zydus Cadilla completed Phase 2 clinical trials of its coronavirus vaccine in December of last year and has been granted approval for Phase 3. Similarly, Phase 2 clinical trials of Russia's Sputnik-V COVID-19 vaccine have also concluded and Phase 3 trials are being carried out by its Indian partner Dr Reddy's laboratories, he said.
Global Update
The Trump administration is urging states to expand access to vaccines, including making them available to anyone over 65. New York state lowered its vaccine age to 65 from 75 following the change in guidance.
The European Union reached its eighth supply deal for doses, and an official said deliveries of shots will accelerate starting in April. The number of patients in the U.K. needing ventilators rose to the highest since the pandemic began. Chancellor Angela Merkel warned that Germany’s hard lockdown could last into late March.
A World Health Organization team looking into the origins of the pandemic is set to arrive in China.
Globally, over 91 million people have been infected by the coronavirus while 1.95 million people have died.
