An Indian government-backed COVID-19 vaccine showed it was safe and triggered immune responses during an ongoing early-stage trial, the company involved in the study said in a statement on Wednesday.
Bharat Biotech, the private company developing COVAXIN with the government-run Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), said: "COVAXIN demonstrated acceptable safety profile and high immune response. . . No serious (grade 3-4) adverse events were reported."
Phase-II and Phase-III clinical trials are underway.
The company earlier this month sought emergency-use authorisation from the Indian drug regulator for its COVID-19 vaccine to help achieve its plan to launch COVAXIN by the second quarter of 2021.
India has the world's second-highest caseload of coronavirus behind the United States, and it is looking to deploy its vast election machinery to deliver 600 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to the most vulnerable people in the next six to eight months.
