Now, Covaxin to be tested on toddlers as young as 2 years

HYDERABAD:After becoming the first Covid-19 vaccine in the world to be tested on children as young as 12 years, Covaxin will now also be tested on infants as young as two years, Bharat Biotech chairman and managing director Dr Krishna Ella said on Monday.

“…we are now planning a clinical trial on children between two and 15 years. We are going to submit (proposal) to SEC (subject expert committee) soon for that,” Ella said during a virtual interaction with reporters. Pointing out that Covaxin is an inactivated virus vaccine based on a tried and tested vero cell platform that has been used for multiple vaccines, he said: “The injectable polio vaccine we have given to a newborn baby… it’s a proven platform and the safest to give to children.”

Covaxin, being developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with Indian Council of Medical Research and National Institute of Virology, was the first Covid-19 vaccine to begin testing (in September) on children. Covaxin Phase II trials, a double-blinded study, was conducted on 380 volunteers in September 2020 and included participants in the 12-to-65-years age bracket. The Pfizer vaccine commenced testing on 12-year-olds in October and Moderna began enrolling participants aged 12 years and above in December.