Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech, is leading the CSIR-NMITLI monoclonal antibody project. This program brings together academia--National Centre for Cell Science (NCCS), Pune and Indian Institute of Technology, Indore--and industry--PredOmix Technologies, Gurgaon and Bharat Biotech--in a collaborative mode for a public health emergency.
The present project aims at an alternate therapeutic regimen by generating highly effective and specific human monoclonal antibodies that are capable of neutralizing the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Such virus-neutralizing antibodies can block the spread of infection by binding to the virus and rendering it ineffective. Monoclonal antibody therapy is a highly effective and safe method. 
Expressing his happiness on receiving CSIR-NMITLI approval of the project, Dr Krishna Ella, Chairman & Managing Director Bharat Biotech said, “The purpose of vaccination is to protect the healthy against future infections and it alone may not provide the complete solution. We feel the monoclonal antibody therapy will provide a viable option.”
 “The question is of how to treat those individuals who are already infected? plus, we do not yet know how effective an anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccine will be in the elderly people and those with co-morbidities. Given the large number of Indians suffering from hypertension, diabetes, and heart diseases, this becomes an important issue.” Dr Ella added.
 
Talking about the novel antibodies approach to deal with COVID-19 Pandemic, Dr Ella stated, “While both Israel and The Netherlands have recently announced the development of virus-neutralizing antibodies, our approach is to develop a powerful cocktail of neutralizing antibodies that can also simultaneously block mutational variants of the virus. We are fast-tracking the development process, to make the antibodies available within the next 6 months and thus improve the treatment efficacy”.
 
Bharat Biotech has excelled in identifying potential viral threats, and have successfully developed 10 different Viral vaccines. As a Pandemic Vaccines frontrunner, the company has delivered more than 5 billion doses of viral vaccines including Anti Rabies vaccines.

 The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has sanctioned development of human monoclonal antibodies as therapy for COVID-19 infections.