<span style="color: #222222;">Nearly 30 Covid vaccine candidates are under various stages of development, by both industry and academia. These vaccines are in different stages of pre-clinical and clinical development of which 3 candidates are in advanced stage of Phase I/II/III trials and 4 are in advanced pre-clinical development stage. Support is also being extended for development of vaccine associated research resources, establishment of clinical trial sites and notifying enabling regulatory guidelines.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Union Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan said in a written reply in Lok Sabha that five national COVID-19 Bio-repositories have been established by the Department of Biotechnology. This is a part of the Network of 16 COVID-19 biorepositories established in the country by Department of Biotechnology, Indian Council of Medical Research and Council of Scientific and Industrial Research.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The Minister said, the Pan India 1000 SARS-CoV-2 RNA Genome Sequencing has been successfully completed and announced on 1st August by the Department of Biotechnology. A high level expert group is looking into matters related to vaccine distribution and immunization. The distribution and immunization of the coronavirus vaccine are subject to availability.</span><br />