The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has granted manufacturing permission to private manufacturers for three corona virus vaccines for restricted use in emergency situation.

These vaccines are ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 corona virus vaccine (recombinant) manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII); whole virion-inactivated corona virus vaccine manufactured by Bharat Biotech International Limited; and Gam-COVID-Vac combined vector vaccine (Sputnik-V) manufactured by Ra (biologicals) Panacea Biotec, New Delhi.

The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) has informed that to support vaccine manufacturing in India, the government of India has launched ‘Mission COVID Suraksha- the Indian COVID-19 Vaccine Development Mission,’ being implemented by Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), a Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) of DBT.

Under the mission, clinical trial lot manufacturing of promising vaccine candidates including DNA vaccine candidate (Zydus Cadila); mRNA vaccine candidate (Gennova Biopharmaceuticals); and intra-nasal vaccine candidate (Bharat Biotech) are being supported.

Further, as part of efforts for the augmentation of Covaxin production, capacity enhancement of Bharat Biotech is being supported under the Mission COVID Suraksha. In addition, technology transfer of Covaxin production from Bharat Biotech to Gujarat COVID Vaccine Consortium (GCVC), comprising Hester Biosciences and OmniBRx Biotechnologies, is being facilitated by DBT.

The information was given 20th by Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.