Give Samples For Evaluation: WHO To Vaccine Cos
New Delhi, 3 Oct 2020:
The WHO has made the first call inviting manufacturers of Covid-19 vaccine candidates in late phase 2 and phase 3 clinical trials to seek from it prequalification and/or emergency use listing — a key criteria considered by various UN agencies as well as by countries globally while purchasing vaccines, reports Sushmi Dey.
Official sources said Serum Institute, Bharat Biotech and Dr Reddy’s Labs can currently apply for WHO prequalification or EUL. While Pune’s Serum Institute is conducting phase 3 human trials in India for the vaccine candidate developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca, Bharat Biotech has completed phase 2 trials and have applied for phase 3. Dr Reddy’s Labs — working on the Russian vaccine candidate Sputnik V — has also applied for phase 3 trials in India and is likely to secure an approval soon. “The first call for submission of EOI (expression of interest) is open to candidate vaccines in phase IIb/III clinical trials that are expected to be submitted for evaluation by a National Regulatory Authority within six months,” WHO said. Economic Times