Bharat Biotech begins clinical trials of TB vaccine on adults in India
Hyderabad (PTI): Bharat Biotech International Ltd on Sunday said it started clinical trials of the Tuberculosis vaccine Mtbvac on adults in India. This is the first vaccine against Tuberculosis derived from a human source by the Spanish biopharmaceutical company, Biofabri, a press release from Bharat Biotech said.
The release said that Mtbvac is being developed for two purposes; firstly, as a more effective and potentially longer-lasting vaccine than BCG ( Bacillus Calmette Gu rin) for newborns and secondly, for the prevention of TB in adults and adolescents, for whom there is currently no effective vaccine.
The trials are carried out by Bharat Biotech in close collaboration with Biofabri.
Trials to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of Mtbvac have started with a pivotal safety, immunogenicity and efficacy trial which has been planned to start in 2025, the release said.
It is a giant step to test in adults and adolescents in the country where 28 per cent of the world's TB cases accumulate. TB remains one of the world's leading infectious causes of death, especially in India, Esteban Rodriguez, CEO of Biofabri said.
Krishna Ella, Executive Chairman Bharat Biotech said "Our quest for a more effective vaccine against Tuberculosis received a big boost today, with clinical trials in India.
Our goal to develop TB vaccines to prevent disease in adults and adolescents has taken a big step today."
The Mtbvac vaccine has passed several milestones before entering clinical trials in India. After the recent completion of a Phase-2 dose finding trial, a double-blind controlled Phase-3 clinical trial in newborns has been started in 2023 to compare the vaccine with the current BCG vaccine.
As many as 7,000 newborns from South Africa, 60 from Madagascar and 60 from Senegal will be vaccinated. To date, more than 1,900 babies have been vaccinated, the release added.
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Woman threatens to end life as police official refuses to accept love proposal, FIR registered
Bengaluru (PTI): A woman was booked on charges of obstructing a police inspector from discharging his official duties and threatening to commit suicide if he did not accept her love proposal, police said on Wednesday.
The 45-year-old inspector attached to the Ramamurthy Nagar Police Station here alleged that the woman repeatedly harassed him, they said.
According to his complaint, the harassment began on October 30, when he started receiving calls from an unknown woman from multiple phone numbers.
During these calls, she allegedly spoke incoherently and claimed to have close links with several highly placed individuals, including the Chief Minister, Deputy CM, Home Minister and other political leaders.
Police said the woman sent photographs via WhatsApp purportedly showing herself with these dignitaries and claimed she could use their influence to compel the inspector to accept her proposal. She also allegedly threatened to use her contacts against him if he refused.
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The inspector said that he advised her to visit the police station and submit a written complaint if she had any grievance. However, she did not do so and instead continued to repeatedly call and send messages, which disturbed his official duties, the FIR said.
According to the FIR, on November 7, the woman allegedly visited his office and handed over an envelope containing some tablets along with handwritten letters. The letters contained emotionally charged and inappropriate content, and the woman claimed they were written using her blood, indicating obsessive behaviour.
Despite being clearly informed that the number she was contacting was an official departmental number meant for public service, she allegedly continued making unnecessary calls and messages, causing mental harassment and obstruction to his day-to-day duties, he alleged.
During the inquiry, police learnt that the woman had allegedly exhibited similar behaviour with other police and government officials in the past, it stated.
On December 12, she allegedly went to his police station and shouted and threatened to commit suicide and ruin the inspector's career if he did not respond to her proposal, prompting him to lodge a complaint.
"Based on the complaint, a case was registered against the woman under Sections 132 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of duty), 351(2) (criminal intimidation) and 221 (obstructing a public servant in discharge of public functions) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita at the Ramamurthy Nagar Police Station. The matter is under investigation," police said.
