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Indian ambassador vouches for Covaxin ahead of talks with PH gov't

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<figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1636701" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><p>MANILA - India&#x27;s ambassador to the Philippines on Wednesday said their indigenous COVID-19 vaccine, Covaxin, is &quot;very safe&quot; ahead of commercial negotiations for the coronavirus jab.</p><p>Developed by Bharat Biotech and state-run Indian Council of Medical Research, Covaxin was reported to have an 81-percent efficacy rate in an interim analysis. It previously received emergency use authorization in India based on early and intermediate studies.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/01/03/21/timeline-indias-coronavirus-vaccine-approved-by-drugs-experts">TIMELINE: India&#x27;s coronavirus vaccine approved by drugs experts</a></li></ul><p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi was inoculated with the drug earlier this month.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/03/01/21/modi-takes-home-grown-vaccine-as-india-widens-immunization-drive">Modi takes home-grown vaccine as India widens immunization drive</a></li></ul><p>The vaccine is &quot;very safe, very secure&quot; and has been deployed widely in India, said Ambassador Shambhu Kumaran.</p><p>&quot;We were confident because Bharat is a 25-year-old company, it’s been producing millions of doses of vaccines and supplies to 120 countries. We are very confident about the science and the scientists behind it, the outstanding team of virologists,&quot; he told ANC&#x27;s Headstart.</p><p>&quot;We are very happy with the way that vaccine shaped up,&quot; he said.</p><p>Bharat Biotech applied for an EUA in the Philippines in January, but it is still pending before the Food and Drug Administration. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/21/21/indias-bharat-biotech-applies-for-emergency-use-authorization-in-ph-for-its-covid-19-vaccine">India’s Bharat Biotech applies for emergency use authorization in PH for its COVID-19 vaccine</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/09/21/covaxin-maker-can-allocate-at-least-10m-covid-19-vaccine-doses-for-ph-distributor">Covaxin maker can allocate at least 10M COVID-19 vaccine doses for PH - distributor</a></li></ul><p>Commercial negotiations between the Philippine government and Bharat Biotech, which would involve signing of term sheets and eventually a supply agreement, &quot;are still pending,&quot; said Kumaran.</p><p>&quot;I’m not sure why we have not started negotiations. I hope we can start tomorrow. The company is ready. I believe there was perhaps a degree of patience on the Philippine side because the Phase 3 data had not been shared, but I’m happy to share with you that that data, the interim data has been shared last evening with the FDA,&quot; he said.</p><p>The earlier the parties commence discussion on the Covaxin supply, &quot;the larger the possibility&quot; is of the Philippines securing these millions of doses, said the ambassador. </p><p>&quot;Eight million is doable. How soon it comes in will depend on the time that we close the contract because once we contract, the nature of the vaccine requires 45 days of production. We could look at it at 20 million over the next year and a half,&quot; he said.</p><p>The Philippines is looking to vaccinate 70 percent of its adult population to achieve herd immunity, and the government is building a portfolio of coronavirus shots from different manufacturers.</p><p>The country recently received doses from Sinovac, which was donated by the government of China, and from AstraZeneca, which was from the COVAX facility. Only these 2 brands and Pfizer have so far been approved for emergency use here.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/03/10/21/ph-aims-to-vaccinate-300000-daily-when-bulk-of-covid-19-jabs-arrives">PH aims to vaccinate 300,000 daily when bulk of COVID-19 jabs arrives</a></li></ul><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1631718" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

<p>India's ambassador to the Philippines on Wednesday said their indigenous COVID-19 vaccine, Covaxin, is "very safe, very secure" ahead of commercial negotiations for the coronavirus jab.</p>

India's ambassador to the Philippines on Wednesday said their indigenous COVID-19 vaccine, Covaxin, is "very safe, very secure" ahead of commercial negotiations for the coronavirus jab.