SOUTH-BASED DRUGMAKER JOINS HANDS WITH JOHNSON&JOHNSON FOR COVID-19 VACCINE- DETAILS 

As countries are coming together to come up with a COVID-19 vaccine to stop the spread, Hyderabad-based Pharmaceuticals & Biologics Company Biological E. Limited (BE) will begin making a drug substance used in Johnson & Johnson's Covid-19 vaccine. 

As per Times of India (ToI) reports, J&J aims to produce more than 1 billion doses of its vaccine candidate, and has struck a similar deal with US-based Emergent Bio Solutions Inc to boost manufacturing. 

Also, large-scale trials for the potential vaccine, Ad26.COV2-S, are set to begin by October. Meanwhile, twenty-eight vaccine candidates are currently in human trials, as per the World Health Organization (WHO), as the global death toll from the novel coronavirus nears 750,000.

In an email, Biological E. Ltd said it has signed a licensing agreement with Houston-based Baylor College of Medicine to develop a Covid-19 vaccine. Other Indian companies are also developing potential Covid-19 vaccines including the Serum Institute, Wockhardt Ltd, Cadila Healthcare Ltd and Panacea Biotec Ltd, Times further reported. 

Managing Director (MD) of Hyderabad-based Biological E, Mahima Datla said, "We are very pleased indeed to collaborate with an organisation like Johnson & Johnson. Given the magnitude of the Covid-19 pandemic, our ability to mount an effective response will be predicated on the ability to supply the vaccine globally and in significant quantities. This is best achieved through collaboration."

"We look forward to deploying our manufacturing infrastructure to support Johnson & Johnson's commitment to global access for its Covid-19 vaccine," BioE Holdings Inc Director Narender Dev Mantena added. 

Looking into the current stats, India today reported a record daily jump of 67,000 coronavirus infections, taking its total to nearly 2.4 million. It stands third after the US and Brazil.