Mandaviya holds meeting with Biological-E MD on progress of Covid vaccine

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Friday said he held a meeting with Biological-E Managing Director Mahima Dalta on the progress of the company's upcoming Covid-19 vaccine, Corbevax.

The minister on Thursday had also held a meeting with Dr Reddy's Laboratories Chairman Satish Reddy regarding the production and supply of Covid-19 vaccine Sputnik V.

"Met Ms Mahima Datla, MD of @Biological_E , who briefed me on the progress of their upcoming #Covid vaccine, Corbevax. I assured all the Government support for the vaccine," Mandaviya said in a tweet.

Earlier in June, the Union Health Ministry had finalised arrangements with Hyderabad-based vaccine manufacturer Biological-E to reserve 30 crore of Covid-19 vaccine doses.

"These vaccine doses will be manufactured and stockpiled by M/s Biological-E from August-December 2021. For this purpose, the Union Ministry of Health would be making an advance payment of Rs 1,500 crore to M/s Biological-E," the Health Ministry had said in a statement.

The arrangement with Biological-E is part of the wider endeavour of the Centre to encourage indigenous vaccine manufacturers by providing them support in research and development and also financial support.

The Biological-E Covid vaccine candidate has been supported by the Centre from preclinical stage to phase-3 studies.

The Department of Biotechnology has not only provided financial assistance in terms of grant-in-aid of over Rs 100 crore but has also partnered with Biological-E to conduct all animal challenge and assay studies through its Research Institute Translational Health Science Technology Institute (THSTI), Faridabad, the health ministry had said.