The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and Bharat Biotech International Limited (BBIL) have come together to step up efforts

New Delhi: The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and Bharat Biotech International Limited (BBIL) have come together to step up efforts for a possible vaccine for the novel coronavirus.

Bharat Biotech and ICMR could now launch the indigenous vaccine Covaxin by August 15 for the public.

Coronavirus

ICMR has developed the indigenous Covid-19 vaccine (BBV152 COVID vaccine) partnered with BBIL. The ICMR has selected 12 institutes for clinical trial of the country's first indigenous Covid-19 vaccine, an official said.

The ICMR also informed that it is envisaged to launch the vaccine for public health use latest by August 15, 2020 after completion of all clinical trials.

Coronavirus The 12 institutes have been asked by the ICMR to fast track clinical trials of the vaccine as it is being considered as one of the top priority projects which are being monitored at the topmost level of the government.

Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech successfully developed Covaxin in collaboration with the ICMR and National Institute of Virology (NIV). The SARS-CoV-2 strain was isolated in NIV, Pune and transferred to Bharat Biotech.