As many as four coronavirus vaccine candidates are at different stages of human trials while one, developed by Genique Life Sciences, is in the advanced pre-clinical stage, Jitendra Singh, Union Science and Technology Minister, said in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.
The Union Minister said that Cadila Healthcare Ltd's DNA-based Covid-19 vaccine candidate is in phase three clinical trial. It has also submitted the interim data for emergency use authorisation.
In a written response to a question in the House, Singh said that Biological E Ltd's vaccine candidate is also in phase three clinical trial.
Bharat Biotech International Ltd's Adeno intranasal vaccine candidate is in phase three clinical trial, while Gennova Biopharmaceuticals Ltd's mRNA-vaccine candidate is in Phase one clinical trial.
The Gurgaon-based Genique Life Sciences Pvt Ltd's vaccine candidate is in the advanced pre-clinical stage, Singh said.
At present, three Covid-19 vaccines --- Serum Institute of India's Covishield, Bharat Biotech's Covaxin and Russian vaccine Sputnik V --- are being administered in the country.
Singh said 'Mission Covid Suraksha -- the Indian Covid-19 Vaccine Development Mission' was announced as part of the third stimulus package 'Atmanirbhar Bharat 3.0' for promoting research and development of Indian Covid-19 vaccines.
"The mission is supporting the development of four vaccine candidates in the clinical stage of development and one vaccine candidate in advance pre-clinical stage of development.
"The clinical development of vaccine candidates is being undertaken across the clinical trial sites situated pan-India," he added.
The Centre also informed the Parliament that the projected 18-plus population in India is 94 crore and therefore, the total requirement of vaccine doses against coronavirus for the beneficiaries in this age group is 188 crore, but the number may reduce if in the future, single-dose vaccines are approved and used,
Catch all the Business News , Breaking News Events and Latest News Updates on Live Mint. Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates.