Developed by Bharat Biotech in close collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Covaxin receives authorisation for Emergency use in as many as 16 countries around the globe. While Covaxin had earlier not been approved by WHO, 16 nations of the world have started to accept it in case of emergency use.
Some of these countries are Brazil, Philippines, Iran and Mexico amongst others. EUA is in process in fifty other countries worldwide as has been reported by Bharat Biotech. Another information that come about Covaxin is its response to the new Delta variant of Covid.
Moving a step closer towards getting approval by the World Health Organisation, a pre-submission meeting was held with Bharat Biotech on June 23rd where the organisation said that Covaxin adheres to international standards. It had earlier submitted a form for emergency use listing (EUL) in the month of May.
Currently, the third phase of trials is in progress. Following the completion of this phase of trials, Bharat Biotech will apply for full license of Covaxin.
Ocugen, which is the American partner of Bharat Biotech has received recommendations from the US Food and Drug Administration to pursue for a full license instead of an Emergency Use Authorisation. This might require for Bharat Biotech to take some additional trials before getting the approval.
Covaxin, the highly efficacious vaccine against Covid-19 has been administered to roughly 25 million people till date, India and abroad. Now, for the first time Covaxin receives authorisation in 16 nations as it stand now.
Recent studies by a US health research institute has found that Covaxin effectively neutralises the effect of the Delta variant that has the world terrified. The highly reputed US National Institute of Health conducted two studies on blood serums of people who received Covaxin and found that the vaccine generates antibodies that can be effective against the  B.1.1.7 (Alpha) and B.1.617 (Delta) variants of SARS-CoV-2 first identified in the UK and India respectively.
With the pandemic raging globally and several mutants emerging time and again, it will take a concerted global effort to limit its consequences. While the future of Covaxin as a globally accepted vaccine is yet uncertain, it is expected to provide protection against the virus to a large extent. It now remains to be seen how effective this vaccine would be to tackle the virus. The hope still remains to see the pandemic conquered soon.
