<span style="color: #222222;">Department of Biotechnology, DBT and Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council, BIRAC had invited applications on COVID-19 Research Consortium.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Sixteen proposals related to devices, diagnostics, vaccine candidates, therapeutics and other interventions have been recommended for receiving funding support. DBT and BIRAC had sought proposals for development of diagnostics, vaccines, therapeutics and other interventions.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">A multi-faceted approach is being adopted to ensure that vaccine candidates utilizing different platforms and at different stages of development are fast tracked through this Research Consortium which receives funding from National Bio-Pharma Mission.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">In order to boost indigenous production and to scale-up the production of molecular and rapid diagnostic tests, several companies will be given financial support. Common shared facility to manufacture diagnostic kits and ventilators will be established at Andhra Pradesh MedTech Zone under National Bio-pharma Mission to provide support to manufactures for scaling up production capacity.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Development and deployment of contactless, affordable thermopile based ultrasonic sensors for screening of COVID-19 suspects and indigenous production of Novel Personal Protective Equipment for health care professionals will also be supported.</span><br />