Covid-19 vaccine tracker: From free Sputnik V to Bharat Biotech’s new deal. All you need to know

As the battle for an effective Covid-19 vaccine is hotting up, several landmarks have recently been achieved across the globe in the last few days.

Here is a round-up of all latest Covid-19 vaccine developments:

Free Sputnik V to UN staff

Russia, the first country that claimed to have come up with a vaccine, said it will offer Sputnik V free of charge to the staff of the United Nations.

Bharat Biotech’s new deal

The Hyderabad-based pharma company, which is developing Covaxin along with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), has entered an agreement with Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri, the US.

This vaccine will be an intranasal one — to be administered through the nose. The first phase of human trial will take place is Missouri, while the later phases will be conducted in India if Drug Control General of India gives nod.

As far as its own vaccine, Covaxin, is concerned, Bharat Biotech will start the phase 3 clinical trials in October.

Serum Institute of India: Covishield and other candidate

Phase 2 and 3 trials of Oxford-Astrazeneca’s Covishield of which Pune’s Serum Institute of India is a partner have already begun from this week. King Edward Memorial (KEM) Hospital and BYL Nair Hospital — two civic-run hospitals are conducting the trials.

Meanwhile, SII has started manufacturing Codagenix’s Covid-19 vaccine candidate — CDX-005.

Dr Reddy’s Laboratories and Sputnik V

Dr Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd could begin late-stage Indian clinical trials of Russia’s potential coronavirus vaccine in the next few weeks. will enrol 1,000-2,000 participants and be conducted at multiple government and private hospitals.

‘No respiratory disease vaccine has 100 per cent efficacy’

On the lines of World Health Organization and the US Food and Drug Administration (US FDA), the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has issued a new set of guidelines for Covid-19 vaccine candidates.

According to the guidelines, a vaccine with 50 per cent efficacy might be approved for use. This is a global standard as no respiratory vaccine has 100 per cent efficacy.

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