New Covid vaccine: Bio E may submit Corbevax trial data this month

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Biological E’s Corbevax is likely to become the next Covid-19 vaccine heading for approval, with the Hyderabad-based company likely to submit its clinical trial data this month, people in the know told ET.

The government’s Central Drug Laboratory at Kasauli has cleared the first few batches of the vaccine so that the company can start stockpiling the doses, the same people said. Biologic E is at present carrying out phase-3 trials of Corbevax, and has received advance orders from the government.

The government had estimated that Biological would account for 300 million jabs from August to December. The government has made an advance payment of ₹1,500 crore to the company. The funding was provided for expanding capacity at its Hyderabad plant.

In March, at the Quad Leaders’ Summit, the US said that it would work with Biological E to finance and support the vaccine maker’s efforts to bolster production of its vaccine by one billion doses by the end of 2022.

“Corbevax is in phase-3 trials. We are likely to complete all the studies by end of November which is when we are expecting licence. The licence for children should follow one month later,” Biological MD Mahima Datla said in October.  (The Economic Times)