DBT-BIRAC approved funding for 70 Proposals for funding in Vaccines

Department of Biotechnology and Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (DBT – BIRAC) research consortium has recommended 70 proposals for funding in Vaccines, Diagnostics, Therapeutics and other Technologies.

The shortlisted proposals includes ten Vaccines candidates, 34 Diagnostics products, ten Therapeutics options, two proposals on Drug Repurposing and 14 projects which are categorized as preventive interventions.

Under the research consortium, DBT and BIRAC evaluated applications with an intent to support Industry/ Academia and Jointly Academia & Industry for developing Diagnostics, Vaccines, Novel Therapeutics, Repurposing of Drugs or any other intervention for control of COVID-19.

Under the move, 70 proposals of devices, diagnostics, vaccine candidates, therapeutics, and other interventions have been recommended for receiving financial support.

The shortlisted proposals include 10 Vaccines candidates, 34 Diagnostics products or scale-up facilities, 10 Therapeutics options, 2 proposals on Drug Repurposing, and 14 projects which are categorized as preventive interventions.

The participating candidates have been enhanced by providing support for the development of the Next-generation mRNA vaccine for a lipid encapsulated mRNA based vaccine.

In order to ensure complete indigenization of COVID diagnostics, DBT BIRAC has already provided support to the companies conducting research to scale-up the production of RT PCR kits.

BIRAC has created a provision to fund COVID-19 solutions that are ready for immediate deployment under a ‘Fast Track Review Process’.

DBT has also launched a National Biomedical Resource Indigenization Consortium (NBRIC) in a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model to foster indigenous innovation focused on developing reagents and resources for diagnostics, vaccines, and therapeutics for COVID19 which is in partnership with ABLE and CII and is being hosted by C-CAMP.