Gujarat-based pharmaceutical company Zydus Cadila is developing a vaccine against the COVID-19 infection in children which may be available soon for children in the age group of 12 to 18 years, the central government told Delhi High Court on Friday
The Centre said in an affidavit submitted in the court which says, “Zydus Cadila has concluded its trial for children between the age group of 12 to 18 and is subject to statutory permissions.”
The DCGI granted approval to Bharat Biotech to carry out clinical tests on volunteers, aged between 2 and 18, for Covaxin On May 12 said the Centre.
An emergency use authorisation has been approved to Zydus Cadila the pharmaceutical firm had on July 1 of its ZyCoV-D three-dose Covid-19 vaccine from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI).
It submitted data assessing a two-dose regimen for the shot. The data had results from Phase-III clinical trials in over 28,000 volunteers
However, according to a recent report in ANI, a go ahead from the DCGI is likely to take a few more days.
The ZyCoV-D will become the fifth vaccine cleared for use in the country if it gets the approval, after locally produced Covishield, Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin, Russia’s Sputnik V and the US-made Moderna.
The regulator’s subject expert committee (SEC) will examine data submitted by Cadila. Officials said that if the approval is given, supply of the vaccine is expected to start by August-September.
“The preliminary assessment of the application submitted by the company is going on and we have sent it to the SEC for further consideration. The SEC will be meeting in the coming week, representatives of the company will be also asked to make presentations,” an official told Times of India.
