18.49°C Vancouver

May 6, 2020 2:04 AM -

India: PM Modi chairs meeting of task force on coronavirus vaccine, drug discovery; over 30 vaccines in different stages of development

Share On
india-pm-modi-chairs-meeting-of-task-force-on-coronavirus-vaccine-drug-discovery-over-30-vaccines-in-different-stages-of-development
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday chaired a meeting of the task force on coronavirus vaccine development, drug discovery, diagnosis and testing and took a detailed review of the current status of India's efforts in these areas. Photo-ANI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday chaired a meeting of the task force on coronavirus vaccine development, drug discovery, diagnosis and testing and took a detailed review of the current status of India's efforts in these areas.

The review by the Prime Minister took note of the extraordinary coming together of academia, industry and government, combined with speedy but efficient regulatory process.

According to an official release, the Prime Minister desired that such coordination and speed should be embedded into a standard operating procedure.

It said over 30 Indian vaccines are in different stages of corona vaccine development with a few going on to the trial stages. The Prime Minister emphasized that what is possible in a crisis "should be a part of our routine way of scientific functioning".

"The Prime Minister took a detailed review of the current status of India's efforts in vaccine development, drug discovery, diagnosis and testing," the release said.

Appreciating the scientific coming together of computer science, chemistry and biotechnology in drug discovery, the Prime Minister suggested that a hackathon be held on this subject, linking computer science to synthesis and testing in the laboratory.

The successful candidates from the hackathon could be taken up by the start-ups for further development and scaling up. He said that the innovative and original manner in which Indian scientists, from basic to applied sciences, have come together with industry is heartening.

"This kind of pride, originality and sense of purpose should dominate our approach going ahead. It is only then that we can be amongst the best in the world and not followers, in science," he said.

Noting that Indian vaccine companies are well known for their quality, manufacturing capacity and global presence, the release said they have also come across as innovators in early stage vaccine development research.

Indian academia and start-ups have also pioneered in this area."Similarly, in drug development three approaches are being taken. First, the repurposing of existing drugs.

At least four drugs are undergoing synthesis and examination in this category. Secondly, the development of new candidate drugs and molecules are being driven by linking high performance computational approached with laboratory verification. Thirdly, plant extracts and products are being examined for general anti-viral properties," the release said.

In diagnosis and testing, several academic research institutions and start-ups have developed new tests, both for the RT-PCR approach and for the antibody detection. In addition, by linking laboratories all over the country, capacity for both these kinds of tests have been enormously scaled up.

"The problem of importing reagents for testing has been addressed by consortia of Indian start-ups and industry, meeting current requirements. The current thrust also holds promise for the development of a robust long-term industry in this area," the release said.

Latest news

surreys-27-5-million-bear-creek-stadium-opens
CanadaJul 09, 2025

Surrey’s $27.5-million Bear Creek Stadium opens

The $27.5-million Bear Creek Stadium in Surrey has officially opened. It has a seating capacity of 2,200. Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke said in a press release that once it receives Class 2 facility certification, Bear Creek Stadium will be able to host high-profile events such as the World Athletics Continental Tour and Challenger Series. The mayor said the stadium will attract other groups to host games there. “We’ve already had some people make inquiries,” she said. Locke said it will be a huge benefit to the city. Surrey will also have a 10,000-seat stadium, with construction expect
alberta-has-highest-measles-cases-per-capita-in-north-america-as-summer-travel-gets-underway
AlbertaJul 09, 2025

Alberta has highest measles cases per capita in North America as summer travel gets underway

Alberta has the most measles cases in North America on a per-capita basis, worrying experts who say summer events could push case counts even higher. The province's former chief medical officer of health Dr.Mark Joffe says that's twice the rate of confirmed cases in Ontario. Ontario has been deemed Canada's epicentre of the outbreak in absolute case numbers, reporting 1,910 confirmed infections since its outbreak began in October, but with a population three times the size as Alberta. Alberta reported yesterday that 1,230 people have been infected with the highly contagious disea
CanadaJul 09, 2025

One of two student pilots killed in Manitoba crash was from India: consulate office

One of two student pilots killed in a mid-air crash south of Steinbach, Man., has been identified as a man from India. The consulate general of India in Toronto, in a social media post, identifies the man as Sreehari Sukesh. The consulate office says it's in contact with the man's family, the pilot training school and local police. The crash happened Tuesday morning about 400 metres from a runway used by Harv's Air pilot school. Adam Penner, president of the company, has said the two pilots were in small single-engine Cessna planes and appeared to try to land at the same time.
fraud-awareness-campaign-highlights-how-to-spot-common-scams
BCJul 09, 2025

Fraud awareness campaign highlights how to spot common scams

Richmond RCMP has launched a new fraud awareness campaign to educate the public about investment scams, a growing threat that costs residents millions of dollars annually. At the center of the campaign is a newly released video that educates the public on how scammers operate and provides practical tips on how recognize their tactics to avoid falling victim. The video pulls from real examples, using engaging visuals and commentary from an officer on how to spot red flags. The video lists three common investment scam tactics: Scam Trick #1: They claim you’ll make big money with little or no r
coquitlam-rcmp-announce-charge-approval-for-weapon-related-offences
BCJul 09, 2025

Coquitlam RCMP announce charge approval for weapon related offences

Following a Coquitlam RCMP investigation into a 2022 stabbing incident, now 23-year-old Shane Aston Gero of Port Coquitlam, and a youth, also of Port Coquitlam have been criminally charged. The youth cannot be named as per the Youth Criminal Justice Act in order to protect their privacy. On June 4, 2022, shortly after 1:00 a.m., Coquitlam RCMP Frontline officers responded to a report of a stabbing near Central Elementary School, located at 2260 Central Avenue, Port Coquitlam. On June 25, 2025, charges of Aggravated Assault, Assault with a Weapon, and Possession of a Weapon for a Dangerous Purp

Related News