Home-grown Bio E vaccine said to be a 'game changer' in COVID fight

Biological E known as Bio E, the made-in-India vaccine against Covid-19, is expected to be a 'game changer' in the fight against COVID as the trial results so far found to be 90% effective against the infection. The vaccine is entering Phase 3 trials and could be available to the public in October.

The Bio E vaccine is safe across the age group. It may be a game-changer for India because it is expected to be sold at Rs. 250 for two doses. NK Arora, chairperson of the Centre's Covid Working Group pointed out that it is easier to buy weapons than to buy vaccines, and most of the low-income countries have no source.

The chairperson said that Bio E is similar to Novavax, which will be produced in India by the Serum Institute of India. "It has created a buzz in India because the Serum Institute is going to manufacture almost a billion doses a year," he told NDTV. He added that the doses are going to be simpler and cheaper with a 90% effectiveness.

Dr Arora said that another Indian-made vaccine by Pune-based Gennova Biopharmaceuticals is also entering phase 2 trials. The Zydus-Cadila's messenger RNA-based Covid vaccine is expected to be available to the public in September. It will also be more compatible with India's setting in storage, transport, and shelf life reported NDTV.

Dr Arora said that he speculates a strong chance of the world coming to depend on India for affordable and effective vaccines against Covid-19. However, he called it a very premature and presumptuous belief.

Bio is slated to be called Corbevax.