Tata Medical to partner with Moderna to roll out vaccines in India

The Indian conglomerate Tata Sons is in discussion with Moderna Inc for a partnership with its health unit Tata Medical & Diagnostics, the Economic Times reported on Monday. What happened: Tata Medical & Diagnostics could partner with the Government of India's key R&D organization, the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research, to launch and conduct clinical trials for Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine candidate in India, the Economic Times reported below Relying on sources familiar with the matter. India requires foreign companies to conduct phase 3 bridging studies with local Indian volunteers, even if the vaccine is approved outside of India. Moderna has received funding from the World Health Organization (WHO) COVAX facility for the development of its COVID-19 mRNA vaccine and aims to distribute 2 billion doses evenly in low and middle income countries including India by the end of 2021. Private companies in India are waiting for government guidance on the role they can play in the country's vaccine program, one of the largest in the world. Moderna has not yet reached any separate agreements with Indian manufacturers and has initial delivery commitments to governments that have pre-ordered vaccines. Moderna's vaccine is approved for emergency use in the US, Canada and the UK. Moderna uses similar mRNA technology to competitor Pfizer Inc, although it requires a storage temperature of -25 degrees Celsius compared to Pfizer's -70 degrees Celsius.