JOIN USCovid-19 Vaccine: Karnataka plans tie-up with US firm
Karnataka is planning to set up a research centre for immunology and vaccine in partnership with the Atlanta-based Emory Vaccine Centre, Deputy Chief Minister C N Ashwath Narayan said on Monday.
Narayan, the IT/BT, Science & Technology minister, held talks with Emory Vaccine Centre director Rafi Ahmed during a webinar and they discussed the growing significance of immunology. If the collaboration comes through, Bengaluru will get the research centre.
“The entire world is pondering about immunology and effective vaccines at this juncture. The decision to set up an immunology and vaccine research centre is very conducive in view of the present situation,” Narayan said. “Immunology is going to be the prospective area in the near future. Vaccines, infectious diseases, cancer research, all these boil down ultimately to immunology,” he said.
Narayan promised policy support for future collaboration. “There are at least 20 institutions of national eminence engaged in vaccine development. All these will be integrated and the government is ready to support through policy implementation. Also, rigid restrictions on clinical trials are now being relaxed,” Narayan said, adding that Karnataka was home to “a robust ecosystem for research and innovation.”
Ahmed said the Emory Vaccine Centre would submit a collaboration proposal to the state government.
“There is a scope for academic collaboration between Karnataka and the Emory centre. In the current situation, this can be achieved through an online platform,” Ahmed said.
Covid test
The Emory centre has developed “a highly specific and sensitive rapid test” for Covid-19 that hospitals in Atlanta have adopted, Ahmed said.
Ahmed said it would take 6-8 months for a Covid-19 vaccine to get a provisional licence when Narayan enquired about the status of clinical trials in the US.
“At present, clinical trials with respect to three vaccines of Covid-19 are at the forefront. Among these, two trials are in the third stage. The vaccines need to be trialled on 30,000 patients. The evaluation process is being carried out. If the efficacy of these vaccines is found to be more than 50%, they may get a provisional licence,” Ahmed
explained.