Govt funds firm for Covid vaccine

New Delhi, April 11

Another in the line of the Department of Science and Technology (DST)-funded start-ups in battle against Covid-19 is Seagull BioSolutions, a company developing Active Virosome (AV) vaccine and immunodiagnostic kits. Besides, the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST) has obtained the go-ahead to provide innovative treatment to patients suffering from the disease.

Technically called the convalescent-plasma therapy, the treatment aims at using immune power gained by a recovered person to treat a sick person.

“We have applied for age cutoff with the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) for the relaxation of norms for blood donation,” says Dr Asha Kishore, Director, SCTIMST.

The DST says Seagull Bio anticipates that the unique features of AVs will enable starting phase-I trials in 18-20 months and immunodiagnostic kits will be ready for trials by August-end. — TNS