Pfizer pulls back emergency use request of vaccine in India

Drug manufacturer Pfizer has withdrawn application for emergency use of its coronavirus vaccine in India to provide additional information sought by the drug regulator of India.

Pfizer was the first pharma company to seek for emergency use of Covid-19 vaccine in India after it sought similar approvals in the UK and Bahrain.

Pfizer participated in the Subject Expert Committee meeting of the Drug Regulatory Authority of India on February 3, the pharma major said in a statement.

"Based on the deliberations at the meeting and our understanding of additional information that the regulator may need, the company has decided to withdraw its application at this time," the statement added.

The company will continue to engage with the authority and resubmit request for approval with the additional information as it becomes available in the near future, the statement informed.

The statement underscored Pfizer's commitment to "making its vaccine available for use by the Government in India" and that it will continue to "pursue the requisite pathway for emergency use authorisation that enables the availability of this vaccine for any future deployment".