The World Health Organization’s expert group has reviewed data on Corbevax, the Covid-19 vaccine from Biological E, and will issue a recommendation only once the technical group rules on it.

Data on the vaccine was reviewed and discussed by SAGE (Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunisation), but a decision has been paused until a final decision is made on the vaccine that is in the process of seeking an Emergency Use Listing (EUL) from the WHO, Dr Joachim Hombach, Executive Secretary , SAGE (WHO) told businessline. The group is in touch with the manufacturer, he said, adding that they were seeking data in relation to the vaccine use in India.

SAGE and the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) evaluate evidence on the vaccine, but from two different perspectives. The policy recommendations made are contingent on the second technical component of the review process involved in approving a vaccine for an EUL.

An EUL paves the way for more countries to include the vaccine in their innoculation programmes. And if Corbevax eventually gets the greenlight from the WHO, it would be the third vaccine company from India, after Serum Institute and Bharat Biotech, to get an EUL on their Covid-19 vaccine.

Approved for 12-14 year olds

BE’s Dr Vikram Paradkar, Executive Vice President (manufacturing and technical operations), had in an earlier interaction with the paper explained that vaccines were still being used in many parts of the world, in different sections of the population. And having an EUL would help it get deployed in different parts of the globe.

Corbevax has been approved in India for the 12–14 age group, since March and presently over 4.10 crore have received their first dose in this group. BE is hopeful of an approval, not just for adults over 18 years, but also for children over 5 years and as a booster for those over 18 years, as is the case in India, the company official had said.

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