<p>Three of the nearly 30 coronavirus vaccine candidates in the country are in advanced stages of clinical trials, while four are in the pre-clinical development stage, <span>Minister of Health</span> Harsh Vardhan said on Friday.</p>.<p>A high-level expert group is looking into matters related to vaccine distribution and immunisation, he said.</p>.<p>"Nationally, nearly 30 vaccine candidates are under development, by both industry and academia. These vaccines are in different stages of pre-clinical and clinical development of which three candidates are in the advanced stage of Phase I/II/III trials and four are in the advanced pre-clinical development stage," Vardhan said in a written response to a question in the Lok Sabha.</p>.<p>The distribution and immunisation of the coronavirus vaccine are subject to availability, the minister said.</p>.<p>"Once available, the coronavirus vaccine distribution follows the same route as for the current practice of vaccines distribution under Universal Immunisation Program (UIP)," he added.</p>.<p>Vardhan said five National Covid-19 Biorepositories have been established by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT). This is a part of the network of 16 Covid-19 biorepositories established in the country by Department of Biotechnology, Indian Council of Medical Research and Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, he added.</p>.<p>So far, 44,452 clinical samples and 17 virus isolates have been collected which are accessible to researchers and industry for developing diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines, the minister said.</p>
<p>Three of the nearly 30 coronavirus vaccine candidates in the country are in advanced stages of clinical trials, while four are in the pre-clinical development stage, <span>Minister of Health</span> Harsh Vardhan said on Friday.</p>.<p>A high-level expert group is looking into matters related to vaccine distribution and immunisation, he said.</p>.<p>"Nationally, nearly 30 vaccine candidates are under development, by both industry and academia. These vaccines are in different stages of pre-clinical and clinical development of which three candidates are in the advanced stage of Phase I/II/III trials and four are in the advanced pre-clinical development stage," Vardhan said in a written response to a question in the Lok Sabha.</p>.<p>The distribution and immunisation of the coronavirus vaccine are subject to availability, the minister said.</p>.<p>"Once available, the coronavirus vaccine distribution follows the same route as for the current practice of vaccines distribution under Universal Immunisation Program (UIP)," he added.</p>.<p>Vardhan said five National Covid-19 Biorepositories have been established by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT). This is a part of the network of 16 Covid-19 biorepositories established in the country by Department of Biotechnology, Indian Council of Medical Research and Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, he added.</p>.<p>So far, 44,452 clinical samples and 17 virus isolates have been collected which are accessible to researchers and industry for developing diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines, the minister said.</p>