Preliminary results of the phase 1 human clinical trial suggest that India’s first indigenously developed vaccine against novel coronavirus, is safe, according to a report. COVAXIN, an inactivated vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19 disease), developed by Bharat Biotech in partnership with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the National Institute of Virology (NIV) is expected to enter the next phase of testing next month.

A report in The Economic Times, citing Dr Savita Verma, the principal investigator who is leading the trial at PGI, Rohtak, said that no adverse events have been observed in volunteers who received the vaccine at the site, indicating that COVAXIN is safe. According to the report, trial investigators are collecting blood samples to assess the vaccine’s immunogenicity while volunteers are being vaccinated with the second dose.