Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday will visit the Serum Institute of India in Pune, which has partnered with global pharma giant AstraZeneca and the Oxford University for COVID-19 vaccine, a senior official told PTI on Thursday.
"We have received a confirmation about PM Modi's visit to the Serum Institute of India on Saturday, but his minute-to-minute program is yet to be received," Pune Divisional Commissioner Saurabh Rao was quoted, as saying.
Rao said there was a possibility of the PM's visit to Pune, and if that happens, it would be aimed at reviewing the status of the vaccine candidate for coronavirus infection and to know about its launch production and distribution mechanisms.
READ MORE: Serum Institute, Bharat Biotech to begin intranasal coronavirus vaccine trials
Meanwhile, ambassadors and envoys from 100 countries are also slated to visit the Serum Institute of India and the Gennova Biopharmaceuticals Ltd on December 4.
The Central Drug Standard Control Organisation has granted permission for manufacture of coronavirus vaccine for pre-clinical test, exmaination and analysis to seven firms, two of which are the Serum Institute of India (SII) and the Gennova Biopharmaceuticals.
Meanwhile, the Serum Institute of India and ICMR on Thursday announced the completion of enrolment process of 1,600 participants in the phase-III clinical trials for COVID-19 vaccine Covishield in the country. SII and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) are collaborating on the clinical trials of the vaccine in the country. While ICMR has funded the clinical trial site fees, SII is taking care of other expenses for the Covishield.
Currently, SII and ICMR are conducting phase II/III clinical trial of the vaccine at 15 different centres across the country, SII said in a statement.
READ MORE: COVID-19 vaccine may be ready by December, in market by March, says Serum Institute
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