NII’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate exhibits positive results in immunogenicity study on mice

An immunogenicity study conducted on mice for the coronavirus vaccine candidate being developed by the National Institute of Immunology (NII) has shown encouraging results, informed Amulya Panda, Director, NII.

The NII, an institute under the Department of Biotechnology, has started the process of developing protein-based vaccine candidates against the coronavirus.

“The preliminary results of the immunogenicity study trials done on mice have shown positive results. We found it to be highly immunogenic, neutralising and it produced antibodies,” Panda said.

NII’s vaccine candidate is one of the many being developed indigenously.

The immunogenicity study trial on mice was conducted in July.

Panda said more tests need to be done on mice on a larger scale now and it is expected to start next week.

“We are also working to see how good it is at neutralising (the coronavirus) in humans,” he said.

“Further, we plan to do it (test) in monkeys to get more solid data,” he said, adding that clearances have to be taken to conduct such tests on primates.

In the past, the NII had developed a vaccine against leprosy which is already in the market. It is also working on a cancer vaccine which is in phase 3 trial.

Panda said the aim is to make a cheaper vaccine which can be made available to the masses.