With COVID-19 taking a tighter grasp on people¡¯s lives in India, researchers are full-speed ahead in giving us a vaccine or a treatment/medication to take down the novel coronavirus.?
Among the few vaccine makers that are currently ahead in the race -- including Moderna, and the Russian vaccine, the COVID-19 vaccine trialled by Oxford University is one that people are looking forward to with utmost promise.?
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The?ChAdOx1 nCoV vaccine is currently in its final stages of COVID-19 human trials and the world is gearing up for getting vaccinated and bringing our lives back to normal from the COVID-19 pandemic.
A few weeks ago we heard from Adar Poonawala, CEO of Serum Institute of India -- world¡¯s largest vaccine manufacturer -- who will be mass-producing the vaccine in India by the name of Covishield and is expected to sell at a price of Rs 1,000.?
However, now, a recent report reveals that the Oxford vaccine will be sold for an even lower price point.?
Reported first by ET, after completion of its safety clearance, the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine will be rolled out at a tag of just $3 (which is approximately Rs 225) per dose in Low And Middle-Income Countries. That price point would make it extremely reasonable for governments as well as people from a lower-economic background to get access to the life-saving vaccine.?
In case you were wondering how they¡¯re able to afford this, it¡¯s actually the Gates Foundation that is providing at-risk funding of approximately $150 million to GAVI -- the Vaccine Alliance who would be providing it to Serum Institute to fund and reduce their overall manufacturing cost.
This news comes a day after Serum Institute announced that it will also be manufacturing 100 crore doses of the? COVID-19 vaccine developed by US-based Novavax for India as well as 91 other LMI countries.
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Adar Poonawalla, CEO of Serum Institute of India said in a statement, "The rampant spread of the virus has rendered the entire world in an unimaginable halt of uncertainty. And to ensure maximum immunization coverage and contain the pandemic, it is important to make sure that the most remote and poorest countries of the world have access to affordable cure and preventive measures. Through this association, we seek to ramp up our constant efforts to save the lives of millions of people from this dreadful disease.¡±?
The Oxford University vaccine candidate has received permission to start phase 2 and 3 trials in India last week. It is awaiting clearance for starting trials for Novaxin vaccine in India.?