Focus to be on bringing mRNA-based vaccine platform in India: CSIR

During the Covid-19 pandemic, mRNA vaccines by Pfizer and Moderna have been among the fastest developed and approved vaccines for use.

In India, so far, Pune-headquartered Gennova Biopharma is working on an mRNA Covid-19 vaccine. (File Photo)

As part of their newly announced collaboration, CSIR and Bharat Biotech will “bring” the mRNA vaccine platform to India “in the coming few months,” according to the head of CSIR.

“mRNA has emerged as one of the most powerful technologies in the Covid-19 pandemic,” said CSIR Director General Dr Shekhar C Mande on Monday. “Today, we don’t have any mRNA-based vaccine platform in the country and Dr (Krishna) Ella and us are already talking about it— how do we actually bring it.”

Mande said the focus will be on generating an mRNA platform in India so that vaccines for “any future diseases” or pandemic can be built using this technology.

Story continues below this ad

CSIR-IICT, which has experience working on lipid nano-particles essential to the stability and effectiveness of such mRNA vaccines, plans to offer its expertise in this regard, said Dr S Chandrasekhar, Director, CSIR-IICT.

“Using that experience, we will collaborate with Bharat Biotech to make sure that … we get end-to-end solutions for these kind of technologies,” he said,

During the Covid-19 pandemic, mRNA vaccines by Pfizer and Moderna have been among the fastest developed and approved vaccines for use.

Their interim efficacies have been among the highest, showing their ability to bring down cases of symptomatic Covid-19 by 94-95 per cent in those vaccinated as against those who haven’t received a vaccine.

Story continues below this ad

In India, so far, Pune-headquartered Gennova Biopharma is working on an mRNA Covid-19 vaccine.

Canada, UK and Australia formally recognise a Palestinian state

World6 hr ago

The UK, Canada, and Australia have recognized Palestine as a state, going against the US and Israel's opposition. British PM Starmer aims to revive peace without Hamas and hostage release. Canada and Australia also recognize Palestine, condemning terrorism. Over 145 UN members recognize Palestine, with France likely to join soon.

View all shorts

Live Blog