Centre signs deal with Biological-E for 30 crore Covid-19 vaccine doses

The central government on 3rd June 2021, said it had inked a deal with Hyderabad-based Biological-E for 30 crore doses of the Covid-19 vaccine, which is still in clinical trials. The Union Health Ministry will advance Rs 1,500 crore to the company for the same.

The shot being developed by Biological-E is an RBD protein sub-unit vaccine and is likely to be available in the next few months.

The doses will be manufactured and stockpiled by Biological-E from August to December 2021, the ministry said.

Biological-E’s vaccine is currently in Phase-3 clinical trials after showing promising results in Phase 1 and 2, the government said in a statement. The company’s proposal was examined and recommended for approval by the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for Covid-19 or NEGVAC.

The move comes days after the Centre said it would complete the vaccination exercise in India by December.

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court said the Centre’s policy of arranging free Covid-19 jabs for the 45-plus age category, Health Care Workers (HCW) and Front Line Workers (FLW) while asking the 18-44 age group to pay was “prima facie arbitrary and irrational”.

The Delhi High Court, too, had pulled up the Centre yesterday, saying some people need to be “charged with manslaughter” for sitting on the “untapped potential” of Covid-19 vaccine manufacturing.

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Credit: Indian Express | June 3, 2021