Vaccine maker Bharat Biotech has been selected for this year’s Genome Valley Excellence Award.
A prestigious award, it is an integral part of BioAsia, the biotechnology and Life Sciences conference Telangana government organises every year.
Bharat Biotech is being presented the Genome Valley Excellence Award for 2021 for its “breakthrough, pioneering research, development and commercialisation of vaccines, including COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin,” a release said.
The company’s CMD Krishna M. Ella and JMD Suchitra Ella will receive the award on February 22, at the inaugural event of BioAsia 2021. A two-day event, this will be 18th edition of BioAsia and is being held virtually for first time.
Minister for Industries and IT K.T.Rama Rao said “the Genome Valley Excellence Award is one of the highlights of BioAsia. Over the years, it has been presented to eminent personalities among the global Life Sciences community. We are honoured to present this award to Bharat Biotech for its relentless work towards developing affordable vaccines for the global community and most recently, the remarkable work to help combat the COVID-19”.
The International Advisory Board of BioAsia selected the company, for the award, for its vision and commitment to develop the first indigenous vaccine for COVID-19. Covaxin has been developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with Indian Council of Medical Research’s National Institute of Virology (NIV). It is one of the two COVID-19 vaccines being administered in the country since January 16.
FABA award
The release said the Federation of Asian Biotech Associations, a partner organisation of BioAsia, will be presenting the FABA Special Award to ICMR director-general and secretary to the Department of Health Research, Balram Bhargava. The award is “for his exemplary contributions to medicine and healthcare”.
The release said he not only spearheaded the fight against COVID-19 in the country but also commenced several extraordinary marquee projects such as India-Stanford Biodesign programme, c-GMP Centre for Excellence for Stem Cell Studies and Society for Less Investigative Medicine (SLIM). He has pioneered the development of indigenous low-cost coronary stent that has benefited several thousand patients.
