India's indigenous Omicron vaccine is around the corner

Even as Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) said it is redesigning a COVID-19 vaccine that specifically targets the Omicron coronavirus variant and is ready to launch the same by March, India could soon have its first messenger or mRNA vaccine targetting Omicron.

India's Gennova Biopharmaceuticals is working on an Omicron-specific COVID-19 vaccine candidate and is at the end of Phase III clinical trials. The Pune-based company submitted Phase II trial data on 3,000 people recently of the two-dose mRNA vaccine.

Competing against heavy weights like Moderna (Nasdaq: MRNA), Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) unit Janssen, Sinopharm, Gamaleya, Novavax Nasdaq: NVAX) and AstraZeneca (LSE: AZN) with its new potential vaccine, the Indian company has started manufacturing the vaccine 'at risk' and can roll out adequate quantities once it gets the green signal from the regulator.

A decision is expected this week on India's first homegrown mRNA vaccine that can provide help against Omicron. Dr N K Arora, chairman of India’s technical advisory group on COVID vaccination, reportedly said the drug regulator will study and decide whether approval can be given.

As an official pointed out, SARS-CoV-2 has been evolving, with successive variants of concern eroding immunizations’ ability to ward off infection and it is very worrying if companies will not be able to supply enough vaccines as variants develop.

The mRNA vaccines are said to have 90%-95% efficacy against infection by the older virus.

Moreover, the official added, Pfizer has not committed to beginning large-scale trials and the company continues to reiterate that the current two-dose series and a booster are still the best course of action to prevent the spread of COVID.