New Delhi: Under pressure from several states to increase the production of the two vaccines available in India, the Centre on Thursday said it is ready to allow private companies to manufacture the country’s indigenous vaccine Covaxin.
Covaxin is jointly developed by ICMR and Bharat Biotech and is currently being produced by Bharat Biotech. The government has now engaged five Public Sector Undertakings to help increase production of Covaxin. Since under this vaccine, live virus is inactivated, any company making this vaccine must have Bio-Safety Lab level 3 labs.
Covishield is developed by Oxford University and produced by AstraZenca and Serum Institute of India. The patent for the vaccine is not with India.
“While people are welcome to make Covaxin there is only a problem with the technology platform. The company making this vaccine must have Bio-Safety Lab level 3 to ensure bio safety of the virus. We give an open invitation to companies who want to produce as per…