India's second COVID-19 vaccine by Ahmedabad-based Zydus Cadila gets DCGI nod for human clinical trials

India's second COVID-19 vaccine by Ahmedabad-based Zydus Cadila gets DCGI nod for human clinical trials

After Bharat Biotech's Covaxin, another potential COVID-19 vaccine indigenously developed by Ahmedabad-based Zydus Cadila Healthcare Ltd got nod from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) on Thursday for human clinical trials.Permission for Phase I/II clinical trial for COVID-19 vaccine of Zydus Cadila granted today as a rapid response after recommendation by Subject Expert Committee said a Health Ministry official.The approval process was fast-tracked following a recommendation by the subject expert committee on COVID-19, considering the emergency and unmet medical need during the pandemic."DCGI Dr V G Somani has given approval for the phase I and II clinical trials (on humans) of the potential novel coronavirus vaccine developed by Zydus Cadila Healthcare Ltd on Thursday after its animal studies was found to be successful," an official source in the know of the developments told PTI.The assent for human trials was given after the company submitted data of clinical trial on animals to the DCGI, in which the vaccine candidate was found to be successful with respect to safety and immunogenicity, sources said.India's COVID-19 tally rose to 6,04,641 on Thursday with a single-day increase of 19,148 cases, just five days after it crossed the five-lakh mark, while the death toll rose to 17,834 with 434 new fatalities, according to the Union Health Ministry.