Molnupiravir, which is in advanced Phase 2 and 3 clinical trials against COVID-19 infection, can stop the spread of the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 within 24 hours

Coronavirus vaccine update: The ministry also said that India has eight coronavirus vaccine candidates in the making. Out of the eight, two have applied for emergency use authorisation

Both companies have applied for vaccine approval, following which, these companies will be able to supply vaccines to the central government to begin its multi-phase vaccination of Indian residents against the COVID-19

After American drug maker Pfizer and Pune-based Serum Institute, Bharat Biotech is the third company to apply for emergency use authorisation for its COVID-19 vaccine to the DCGI

Pfizer's clarification comes as experts believe that storing the vaccine in minus 70 degree Celsius would be a big hurdle

Serum Institute, which is the world's largest vaccine producer by volume, has become the second company to apply for the emergency authorisation after Pfizer India

On December 2, the UK became the first nation to approve Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine against COVID-19 for emergency use; Bahrain has also approved vaccine candidate 'BNT162b2'. India decision on vaccine could come this week

As per the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Serum Institute has manufactured four crore doses of the vaccine under the at-risk manufacturing and stockpiling licence obtained from the DCGI

Pfizer Inc submitted application to DCGI seeking emergency use authorisation on Dec 4; also seeks permission to import vaccine for sale and distribution in India

DCGI VG Somani has said the CDSCO will facilitate analysis of interim clinical trial data at pre-defined stages. PM Modi says nearly eight vaccine candidates, out of which three are indigenously developed, are undergoing trials in India

COVID-19 cases in India: The total number of coronavirus cases reached 96, 08,211, with over 36,000 cases reported in the last 24 hours

COVID-19 vaccine trial updates: AIIMS director Dr Randeep Guleria has pinned his hopes on the five coronavirus vaccine candidates which are in varying stages of trials across India

The company is also working with the USFDA to start an Investigational New Drug (IND) application for Pegylated Interferon alpha-2b in order to initiate clinical trials in US

India Stock Market Highlights Today: During the session, Sensex touched a lifetime high of 45,148 and Nifty hit an all-time high of 13,280

Study says anti-bodies declined slightly over time but remained elevated in all participants even 3 months after vaccination. NIAID director Anthony Fauci and other infectious diseases experts say it is possible that our bodies would remember virus and produce more anti-bodies if exposed to the virus again

However, VK Paul, who heads the National Task Force on COVID-19, had said in November that the arrival of the Pfizer vaccine in India might take months.

Speaking on COVID-19 vaccine and India's rollout plan, the AIIMS Director said that he is hopeful that by the end of December or early January, emergency use authorisation will be received from Indian regulatory authorities

Coronavrus vaccine supply: The role of the supply chain is to ensure effective vaccine storage, handling, and stock management; rigorous temperature control in the cold chain; and maintenance of adequate logistics management information systems

Coronavrus vaccine supply: The role of the supply chain is to ensure effective vaccine storage, handling, and stock management; rigorous temperature control in the cold chain; and maintenance of adequate logistics management information systems

Serum Institute's chief executive officer, Adar Poonawalla, has confirmed that the company's coronavirus vaccine will enter the open market post-March to April 2021 if the vaccine is found to be 'immunogenic and safe'