COVID-19 Vaccine: Serum Institute Begins Phase 2 Trial Of Oxford COVID-19 Vaccine Today

The Serum Institute of India (SII) is set to begin its phase II/III clinical trials of the Oxford University-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. Covidshield vaccine is getting government permission to manufacture the immunisation.

Image For Representation/Reuters

Serum Institute of India has partnered with British-Swedish pharma company AstraZeneca for manufacturing the COVID-19 vaccine developed by the University of Oxford.

¡°We have got all approvals from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO). We are going to start the human clinical trial process at the Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University) Medical College and Hospital from August 25.

Also Read: AstraZeneca Expects Covid-19 Vaccine By September As Pharma Firms Ramp Up Efforts For Vaccine

¡°We are sure that in line with the philosophy of our group, we are going to make available a world class COVID-19 vaccine for people of our country and make our country ¡®AatmaNirbhar¡¯,¡± Prakash Kumar Singh, Additional Director, Government and Regulatory Affairs, Serum Institute of India (SII) told PTI.

Image For Representation

The study to determine the safety and immunogenicity of Covidshield on healthy Indian adults will begin at Bharati Vidyapeeth Medical College and Hospital in Pune.

Also Read: Pharma Giant AstraZeneca To Mass Produce Oxford COVID Vaccine For No Profit To Help Millions

As a rapid regulatory response, the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) on August 3 had given nod to the Pune Serum Institute of India (SII) for conducting phase II and III human clinical trials of the Oxford COVID-19 vaccine candidate in the country.

Image For Representation/Reuters

The trials are to be conducted across 17 selected sites, including AIIMS Delhi, B J Medical College in Pune, Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences (RMRIMS) in Patna, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research in Chandigarh, AIIMS-Jodhpur, Nehru Hospital in Gorakhpur, Andhra Medical College in Visakhapatnam and JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research in Mysore, SII sources had said.

Also Read: Oxford Vaccine COVID-19 Phase 2-3 Trials Begin In India With 1,600 Candidates

According to Adar Poonawalla, CEO and executive director, Serum has till date tied up with five vaccine candidates against COVID-19. Two of five vaccines candidates are Serum¡¯s own candidates and the rest are with partners, AstraZeneca-Oxford, Novavax and Codagenix, reports The Financial Express.

The Indian government would be procuring and distributing these vaccines in India. Around 400 million doses of this COVID-19 vaccine is expected to be manufactured by early 2021.

Disclaimer: While there have been several different types of treatments being given to COVID-19 patients across the world, there isn¡¯t any one drug that has worked as a sure-shot treatment yet. Don¡¯t self medicate/stock up and always consult your doctor/medical health professional.