Coronavirus vaccine: 6 Indian firms race against time to develop cure but patience only option
Research on a COVID-19 vaccine in India is at a very early stage of development and candidates are likely to reach animal trials only by the end of the year, says leading virologist Shahid Jameel

- May 23, 2020,
- Updated May 23, 2020 11:49 PM IST
As Indian companies struggle to develop a vaccine for COVID-19, which has infected over 1 lakh people and claimed over 3,700 lives in India so far, experts opine that research in the country is still at a nascent stage and any solid breakthrough is not likely within a year. At least six Indian companies are working on coronavirus vaccine, but a vaccine is unlikely to be ready for mass use before 2021.
While Zydus Cadila was working on two vaccines, Serum Institute, Biological E, Bharat Biotech, Indian Immunologicals, and Mynvax were developing one vaccine each, Gagandeep Kang, executive director of the Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, Faridabad, had told PTI last month.
The WHO has listed Serum Institute of India, Zydus Cadila, Indian Immunologicals Limited and Bharat Biotech from India among the firms involved in developing a vaccine.
Pitching for developing a vaccine to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, PMO had recently said that it is the most pressing need and Indian academia, start-ups and industry have come together to work on cutting-edge vaccine design and development.
As Indian companies struggle to develop a vaccine for COVID-19, which has infected over 1 lakh people and claimed over 3,700 lives in India so far, experts opine that research in the country is still at a nascent stage and any solid breakthrough is not likely within a year. At least six Indian companies are working on coronavirus vaccine, but a vaccine is unlikely to be ready for mass use before 2021.
While Zydus Cadila was working on two vaccines, Serum Institute, Biological E, Bharat Biotech, Indian Immunologicals, and Mynvax were developing one vaccine each, Gagandeep Kang, executive director of the Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, Faridabad, had told PTI last month.
The WHO has listed Serum Institute of India, Zydus Cadila, Indian Immunologicals Limited and Bharat Biotech from India among the firms involved in developing a vaccine.
Pitching for developing a vaccine to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, PMO had recently said that it is the most pressing need and Indian academia, start-ups and industry have come together to work on cutting-edge vaccine design and development.