Mission COVID Suraksha is an initiative launched by the Government of India to accelerate the development, manufacturing, and licensing of indigenous vaccines for COVID-19. This mission plays a crucial role in supporting India's vaccine development efforts and aligns with the larger objective of Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan (self-reliant India).
Key Points of Mission COVID Suraksha:
Budget and Duration:
- The mission has a sanctioned budget of Rs. 900 crores for Phase I, covering a period of 12 months.
- It focuses on accelerating the development of 5-6 vaccines for COVID-19, with 10 vaccine candidates supported by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) so far.
Objectives:
- Funding and Development: Provide funding for candidate vaccines, including their testing, manufacturing, licensing, and distribution.
- Clinical Trial Sites: Establish clinical trial sites and strengthen laboratories for vaccine trials.
- Quality Management: Assist with quality management systems for testing and clinical trials.
- Process Development: Support the development of processes for cell line and GMP batch manufacturing for trials.
- Target Product Profile (TPP): Ensure vaccines developed under the mission have the characteristics suited for India.
Implementation:
- The mission is coordinated by the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) under DBT.
Vaccine Development and Indigenous Efforts:
- The mission aims to develop an affordable and accessible indigenous vaccine for COVID-19, helping India contribute to global efforts to curb the pandemic.
COVID-19 Vaccine Candidates Under Mission COVID Suraksha:
Covaxin:
- Developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
ZyCoV-D:
- Developed by Zydus Cadila in collaboration with the National Biopharma Mission of DBT.
Sputnik V:
- Initially developed by Russia, but included in India’s vaccination strategy.
BNT162b2 (Pfizer):
- A global vaccine developed by Pfizer, which has been widely distributed.
Other vaccines under development include AZD1222 (Oxford University), Ad26.COV2.S (Johnson & Johnson), and Ad5-nCoV (Beijing Institute).
Objectives of the Mission:
- Accelerate vaccine development and clinical trials.
- Support regulatory submissions, data management, and training.
- Ensure that the vaccines developed meet global standards for safety and efficacy.
Mission COVID Suraksha is a critical part of India's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, aimed at ensuring that safe and effective vaccines are rapidly developed and made available to its population and the world.
