Department of Biotechnology and Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (DBT – BIRAC) research consortium has recommended 70 proposals for funding in Vaccines, Diagnostics, Therapeutics and other Technologies. The shortlisted proposals include ten Vaccines candidates, 34 Diagnostics products, ten Therapeutics options, two proposals on Drug Repurposing and 14 projects which are categorized as preventive interventions.
Science and Technology Ministry said, to urgently develop safe and effective Biomedical solutions against SARS CoV-2, DBT- BIRAC had invited applications for COVID-19 Research Consortium. In addition, BIRAC has also created a provision to fund COVID-19 solutions that are ready for immediate deployment under a fast track review process. Through this initiative Start ups with PPE solutions have been approved for supporting manufacturing of Full body coverage suits to Aarna Biomedical Products and for Face Shields to Alpha Corpusles Private limited.
A statement from the ministry said, “The portfolio of vaccine candidates has further been enhanced by providing support for development of next generation mRNA vaccine candidate by Gennova.”
The DBT has, meanwhile, launched a National Biomedical Resource Indigenisation Consortium in a public private partnership model to foster indigenous innovation focused on developing reagents and resources for diagnostics, vaccines and therapeutics for Covid-19.
Under its ‘Fast Track Review Process’ Process BIRAC has created a provision to fund COVID solutions that are ready for immediate deployment. Through this initiative, startups with PPE solutions have been approved for supporting manufacturing of ‘Full body coverage suits’ to Aarna Biomedical Products and for “Face Shields” to Alpha Corpusles, automated sanitizer to MicroGO, remote patient monitoring Stasis Health, Turtle Shell for DOZEE a sleep monitoring device, Monitra for remote monitoring of patients, Perisodhana for N-95 masks and Remidio for Ambu bags.