VINCOV-19: Hyd-based Research Centres Develop India’s First Antidote for Covid

Hyderabad: VINCOV-19 which is touted to be the country’s first antidote and a cure against SARS-CoV-2 virus will soon be available in the market. The drug is waiting for the phase 3 trial now. 

University of Hyderabad and CSIR-Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology in collaboration with a Hyderabad-based VINS Bioproducts Limited have announced that the phase 2 clinical trial of VINCOV-19 was successfully completed. The new drug is ready to hit the market and the phase 3 clinical trials will be conducted simultaneously, the Hyderabad University said in a release on Tuesday. 

In this phase, VINCOV-19 was administered to patients with moderate severity of Covid-19. One group of patients was given VINCOV-19, along with ‘Standard of Care’, and another group was given ‘Standard of Care’ only.

“Phase 2 clinical trials of VINCOV-19 have been very successful. VINCOV-19 is shown to be safe and ensures the speedy recovery of patients suffering from Covid-19. We would urge the authorities to allow us a market authorisation, so that we can strengthen our fight against Covid-19,” Siddharth Daga, chief executive officer, VINS Bioproducts said. 

More than 200 patients spread across various centres in India underwent the phase 3 clinical trial of VINCOV-19. The trials also included testing the antidote against the Omicron variant to ensure maximum coverage against the virus and its known mutations, the release noted.

VINCOV-19 is made up of equine polyclonal antibodies (EpAbs) against the Covid-19 virus. These highly purified antibody fragments have a “high neutralising capacity” against the Sars-CoV-2 virus. If applied in the early stages of the disease, it can render maximum clinical benefits.

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