Vice Chancellor Professor Tariq Mansoor on Tuesday encouraged others to participate in the trials.
The third phase of clinical trials for Covaxin, the coronavirus vaccine being developed by pharmaceutical firm Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), has started. The Vice Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) registered as the first volunteer for the trails which will take place at the university's JN Medical College and Hospital (JNMCH).
Vice Chancellor Professor Tariq Mansoor on Tuesday encouraged others to participate in the trials.
"Volunteered myself for Phase III trial of COVID19 vaccine "Covaxin"- a study led by AMU in collaboration with ICMR & Bharat Biotech aimed at evaluating the safety and efficacy of this vaccine. I fervently appeal to everyone to volunteer/register for this trial and participate in this ground breaking research for developing better cures and treatment options," Professor Mansoor tweeted.
Volunteers who will undergo the Phase 3 trials will receive travel expenses and other benefits as per ICMR guideline, an AMU spokesperson said.
Phase 3 trials of Covaxin will take place at 25 centres across India with a total of 26,000 participants. India's drug regulator, the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI), granted approval for the third phase after successful completion of the first two phase of trials. Nearly 800 volunteers had been part of Phases 1 and 3, in 12 hospitals across the country, including in cities like Delhi, Hyderabad and Lucknow.
At present, two other vaccine candidates are in different phases of trials in India. Covishield, developed by the University of Oxford, is in the final phase of trials. ZyCoV-D, developed by pharmaceutical firm Zydus Cadila, is in the second phase of trials.
Globally, more than 100 vaccines are being developed and tested to try to stop the COVID-19 pandemic, which has killed hundreds of thousands and ravaged the global economy.