Hyderabad NIMS to commence phase 3 Covid-19 vaccine trials

The Nizams Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) in Hyderabad will begin the third phase of Covaxin clinical trials this week. The officials have geared up to start phase 3 of Covid vaccine trials on the orders of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

Institutional Ethics Committee of NIMS (IEC-NIMS) will hold a meeting tomorrow on phase 3 of Covaxin human trials.

The officials said that they have made arrangements to provide the vaccine to around 200-300 volunteers who will be later monitored closely. The phase 3 trials will be completed by December end and likely to get final approval will be given by February end after which the vaccine will be available in the market.

Covaxin, the vaccine for coronavirus is being developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). Bharat Biotech applied for the phase 3 trails to the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) on October 2. The permission was accorded at SEC meeting held in New Delhi on October 19.

The firm said that the trails will be carried out at 19 places including Delhi, Mumbai, Patna, Odisha and Lucknow.