NEWS

A clinical study of the US-based Akston Biosciences’ second generation Covid-19 vaccine candidate has kicked off in India.

In an open-label bridging study of `AKS-452’, the protein sub-unit Covid-19 vaccine candidate, the first 100 subjects have been dosed.

The AKS-452 is shelf-stable for at least six months in room temperatures (up to 25° Celsius) and maintains its potency for one month at 37° Celsius, says a release.

India’s Drug Controller General has approved the open-label bridging study being conducted by Supe Heart and Diabetes Hospital and Research Centre in Nashik, along with four other sites in Maharashtra. Ahmedabad-based Veeda Clinical Research is managing the study, it adds.

Defence minister Rajnath Singh took aim at China, highlighting its blatant disregard for international laws, in comments during commissioning of new destroyer INS Visakhapatnam when he said, “It is a matter of concern that UNCLOS is being repeatedly weakened by arbitrary interpretation of its definition by some nations.”

This was a fairly clear reference to China, which has refused to abide by the 2016 verdict of the Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling that China had no right to build military structures in the South China Sea. “The arbitrary interpretations create obstacles in the path of a rule-based maritime order,” Singh said.

Taking note of "contradictory stands" taken by Indian Railways before various high courts and the Supreme Court on relocation and rehabilitation of slum dwellers encroaching upon its land, the apex court on Monday sought explanation from the secretary of the railways ministry. It directed submission of an affidavit within a week.

Senior advocate Colin Gonsalves submitted that the Railways had told the Delhi High Court that it was adopting the policy of Delhi government for rehabilitating squatters who had encroached upon its land, and even the solicitor general, while appearing for the ministry, had told the Supreme Court last year that it was formulating a policy. But the Railways argued before the Gujarat high court that there was no such policy and it was also not contemplating any policy, he contended.

The union health ministry will on Monday hold a meeting with officials from Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland and union territory of Puducherry, news agency ANI reported. Health minister Mansukh Mandaviya and other senior ministry officials will be present in the virtual meeting, it further reported.

The minister will review the progress and planning of Covid-19 vaccination in these states and the union territory of Puducherry, where the first dose coverage is less than 70 per cent.

The first dose coverage in Meghalaya was 56.7 per cent, Manipur 54.2 per cent, Nagaland 49 per cent and Puducherry 65.7 per cent, according to government data, as reported by news agency PTI.