Aurobindo is already developing a vaccine through its wholly-owned US subsidiary Auro Vaccines

The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and Aurobindo Pharma Limited on Tuesday announced a collaboration to develop vaccines for COVID-19.

As per the release issued by the Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology (CCMB), under the signed agreement between CSIR- CCMB and Aurobindo Pharma, Aurobindo will partner with CSIR for the development of several novel COVID-19 vaccines.

"Three CSIR labs namely CCMB Hyderabad, Institute of Medical Technology (IMTECH), Chandigarh and Indian Institute of Chemical Biology (IICB), Kolkata are developing vaccine candidates using different technology platforms. Aurobindo will undertake clinical development and commercialization of the vaccines," it said.

Commenting on this partnership, Dr Shekhar C Mande, Director General, CSIR, said that "Joining of hands of premier CSIR labs with industry for the development of vaccines will amplify India's efforts in indigenous vaccine development and also help in preparedness for future pandemics".

Dr. Rakesh Mishra, Director, CSIR-CCMB, while talking about the development strategies for the vaccines said, "Our labs are working on novel proteins for vaccine development that has the potential to address the need for a second-generation vaccine. We are happy to partner with Aurobindo who have proven manufacturing and commercialization capabilities."

Aurobindo Pharma Limited also expresses pride over the collaboration with CSIR for developing vaccines to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and said that is already setting up a large-scale facility in Hyderabad for manufacturing the vaccine.

"We are proud to join hands with CSIR for developing vaccines to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. This collaboration further strengthens our COVID-19 vaccine development efforts. We are already setting up a large-scale facility in Hyderabad for manufacturing COVID-19 vaccine and other viral vaccines," said N. Govindarajan, Managing Director, Aurobindo Pharma Limited.

The release said that apart from this collaboration, Aurobindo is already developing a vaccine for COVID-19 (SARS COV-2) through its wholly-owned US subsidiary Auro Vaccines.

"The SARS COV-2 vaccine candidate is based on the company's proprietary replication-competent, attenuated, recombinant vesicular stomatitis (VSV, VesiculoVax(tm)) vaccine delivery platform," it added.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

SII has partnered with AstraZeneca for manufacturing vaccine candidate for COVID-19 (Representational)

Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) Dr VG Somani on Tuesday gave permission to Serum Institute of India to resume clinical trial of the Oxford COVID-19 vaccine candidate in the country while revoking its earlier order of suspending any new recruitment for phase two and three trial.

The DCGI, however, put certain conditions like taking extra care during screening, providing additional information in informed consent and close monitoring for adverse events during follow-up of the study which have to be "scrupulously" followed by Serum Institute of India (SII).

SII has also been asked to submit to the DCGI's office details of medication used in accordance with the protocol for management of adverse events.

The DCGI had on September 11 directed Serum Institute of India to suspend any new recruitment in the phase two and three clinical trial of the Oxford COVID-19 vaccine candidate till further orders in the backdrop of pharma giant AstraZeneca pausing the clinical trials in other countries because of "an unexplained illness" in a participant in the study.

On Saturday, British-Swedish biopharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford said clinical trials for their coronavirus vaccine have resumed in the UK after the Medicines Health Regulatory Authority's (MHRA) confirmed that the trials were safe.

SII, which has partnered with AstraZeneca for manufacturing the vaccine candidate for COVID-19, on Tuesday submitted the recommendations of the Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB), UK and DSMB, India, and requested for permission to restart enrolment in the clinical trial.

According to Tuesday's order issued by DCGI, the DSMB, UK, recommended that the investigators recommence all immunization in their clinical trials subject to certain conditions.

DSMB, India, also has recommended to continue the study and enroll the remaining participants in the clinical trial as per protocol subject to certain conditions.

According to the order, SII has submitted revised participant information sheet, revised informed consent form and additional safety monitoring plan for the evolved participants.

The Pune-based firm has also submitted a summary of safety follow up of seven days post first vaccination, stating that no serious adverse events were experienced by any of the subjects till the date of the reporting, and the reported adverse events were stated to be mild, resolved on their own and did not have any sequale.

"In view of the above, I Dr V G Somani, Drugs Controller General of India, Central Licensing Authority, after careful examination of your reply and the recommendations of the DSMB in India and in UK revoke herewith the order dated September 11 issued under Rule 30 of the New Drugs and Clinical Trials Rules, 2019.

"You may recommence the clinical trial as recommended by DSMB, India, as per already approved protocol and the provisions laid down under the New Drugs and Clinical Trial Rules, 2019, subject to the conditions mentioned," the order said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)