Mumbai, Oct. 26 -- On 10 October, Hyderabad-based biotech startup PopVax announced a new milestone-its broad-spectrum, fridge-stable covid-19 mRNA (messenger ribonucleic acid) had entered human trials. This is especially significant for easing distribution in developing countries with limited cold-chain infrastructure, especially in the event of another outbreak, which would require prompt deployment.

Many mRNA vaccines, which are now being developed for several diseases including cancer, require ultracold storage-in the range of -20 to -80 degrees Celsius. PopVax's candidate, which is being tested for safety in patients, can be stored in refrigerators (2-8 degrees Celsius) for over nine months.

The startup hopes to advance its platform...