The Hyderabad-based pharma firm- Bharat Biotech has completed phase-I clinical trials for its vaccine candidate against Covid-19. Claiming that the company would not succumb to pandemic pressure, chairman Krishna Ella said that they can not rush the vaccine-making procedure.

"There is tremendous pressure on us to develop the vaccine. But for us, safety and quality are paramount. We don't want to kill more people with the wrong vaccine," Krishna Ella, Chairman & MD, Bharat Biotech International said during an interaction with members of the Chennai International Centre on 'Covid-19 Endgame Scenarios'.

Responding to the launch date for the vaccine, Ella added that they want to do clinical research of the highest standards as they are being monitored by international agencies and communities. �It's a matter of prestige for the country and for us. We won't be shortsighted on research and will produce the best quality vaccine," said Ella.

Covaxin- Bharat Biotech's Covid-19 vaccine took only 30 days for phase-I clinical trials and the company has now entered phase-II.

Stating that the Indian vaccine industry is no less than global giants based in Europe and the US, Ella said, �we are not less than GSK or Sanofi. People are sceptical about the capabilities of Indian companies and they were proved wrong when vaccines were developed for rotavirus, polio and other diseases with tremendous experience in manufacturing and clinical trials from India.�

Indian vaccine makers have proved that they can develop quality and affordable vaccines, Ella said. In the past few years, Bharat Biotech launched a rotavirus vaccine for $1, when global major GSK supplied it for $85, with the same parameters and quality, Business standard reported.

Assuring an effective and cost-efficient vaccine for Covid-19, without any government funding Ella added "This is what an Indian company can do. For this (Covid) vaccine also we will make it very affordable and accessible for everyone."