Photographs of the facility at NIAB, Hyderabad
Hyderabad: City-based National Institute of Animal Biotechnology (NIAB) has been notified as Central Drugs Laboratory for testing and batch release of vaccines and its laboratory has thus been upgraded as Central Drugs Laboratory (CDL) for COVID-19 vaccine testing facility.
The Gazette notification in this regard was issued by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on August 17, 2021. The facility at National Centre for Cell Science (NCCS), Pune has already been notified as CDL on 28 June, 2021.
The Ministry stated today that in public interest it is necessary to establish more facilities to regulate the testing of COVID-19 vaccines for quick release of vaccine batches for prevention and treatment of COVID-19 infection. Considering this requirement, the Government of India had identified two Autonomous Institutes of the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) – NIAB and NCCS, Pune, for upgradation as Central Drug Laboratories (CDLs). The funding support for the same was provided under the PM-CARES funds.
The two facilities are expected to test approximately 60 batches of vaccines per month. Considering that the facilities are located in proximity to the vaccine manufacturing hubs of the nation, logistics for vaccine manufacturing and supply are expected to be eased up, the Ministry stated.
With the support through PM-CARES Funds rapid up-gradation and setting up of the state-of-the-art, modern GLP Compliant vaccine testing facilities could be enabled in the two institutes so as to contribute to the national requirement of vaccines. This would further strengthen the vaccine supply chain and boost the massive vaccination drive in India, the Ministry stated.
– global bihari bureau
