Serum Institute to apply for COVID-19 vaccine trials within a week, says CEO Adar Poonawalla
Leading vaccine major Serum Institute of India on Monday said that it will apply for COVID-19 vaccine trials within a week and will soon start manufacturing the vaccine in large volumes. "The trials have shown promising results and we are extremely happy about it. We will be applying for the licensure trials to the Indian regulator in a week's time. As soon as they grant us permission, we will begin with the trials for the vaccine in India. In addition, we will soon start manufacturing the vaccine in large volumes," Serum Institute CEO Adar Poonawalla said was quoted as saying by CNBCTV18
On Sunday, the vaccine maker said that it is hoping to develop a COVID-19 vaccine by the year-end and also said that it will be starting human trials of its AstraZeneca Oxford vaccine from August.
"At present, we are working on the AstraZeneca Oxford vaccine which is undergoing phase III clinical trials. In addition to this, we will also start human trials in India in August 2020. Based on the current situation and most recent updates on the clinical trials, we are hoping that the AstraZeneca Oxford vaccine will be available towards the end of this year," Serum Institute of India CEO Adar Poonawalla told news agency PTI.
Serum Institute is working on several candidates for the novel coronavirus - including potentially mass-producing the AstraZeneca/Oxford university one that has garnered global headlines - as well as developing its own.
