Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Saturday visit Zydus Biotech Park in Ahmedabad, Bharat Biotech in Hyderabad and Serum Institute of India in Pune to review the coronavirus vaccine development work.
“As India enters a decisive phase of the fight against Covid-19, the prime minister’s visit to these facilities and discussions with the scientists will help him get a first-hand perspective of the preparations, challenges and roadmap in India’s endeavour to vaccinate its citizens,” his office said in a statement.
An official said that the prime minister will reach the facility of pharmaceutical company Zydus Cadila at 9.30 am, reported PTI. The plant is located in the Changodar industrial area, over 20 kms from Ahmedabad. Zydus Cadila had started phase 2 trials for its coronavirus vaccine in August.
Modi will reach Pune to visit the Serum Institute of India at around 12.30 pm. The company has partnered with global pharma giant AstraZeneca and the Oxford University for a potential vaccine.
After this, the prime minister will leave for Hyderabad to visit Bharat Biotech’s facility. The biotechnology company is developing Covaxin, its Covid-19 vaccine, which is undergoing the phase 3 trials. The facility is located at Genome Valley, around 50 km from Hyderabad.
Meanwhile, the Pune district administration said the scheduled program of foreign envoys visit to the city on December 4 is cancelled, ANI reported. Nearly 100 envoys of different countries were scheduled to visit the Serum Institute and Genova Biopharmaceuticals to review the development of Covid-19 vaccines.
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