It was initially planned that COVAXIN would be launched in the market by August 15. (Representational)

Chandigarh:

The human trial of India’s first anti-COVID vaccine – Covaxin, which is being developed by Bharat Biotech – started at Rohtak’s Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences today, Haryana Health and Home Minister Anil Vij said.

Bharat Biotech had recently received the approval from the country’s drug regulatory body to start clinical trials of its anti-Corona vaccine.

“Human trial with Corona vaccine (COVAXIN) of Bharat Biotech started at PGI Rohtak today. Three subjects were enrolled today. All have tolerated the vaccine very well. There were no adverse effects,” Vij said in his tweet.

Human trial with Corona vaccine (COVAXIN) of Bharat Biotech started at PGI Rohtak today. Three subjects were enrolled today. All have tolerated the vaccine very well. There were no adverse efforts.

— ANIL VIJ MINISTER HARYANA (@anilvijminister) July 17, 2020

There are over seven anti-corona vaccines at various stages of development in the country with two of them having received the drug regulator’s go-ahead to start the human clinical trials of their vaccines. These trials are being conducted in 12 institutes across the country, including AIIMS-Delhi.

Though it was initially planned that COVAXIN would be launched in the market by August 15, government officials later told a parliamentary standing committee that such a drug would not be possible till at least next year.

Globally, more than 100 vaccines are being developed and tested to try to stop the COVID-19 pandemic, which has killed hundreds of thousands and ravaged the global economy.

University of Oxford’s potential COVID-19 vaccine that has been licensed to AstraZeneca is probably the world’s leading candidate and most advanced in terms of development, the World Health Organization’s chief scientist said in June.

The company has signed agreements with governments around the globe to supply the vaccine should it be cleared for use.