WHO approves Covovax for emergency use: Adar Poonawalla
Highlights
- WHO approved Covovax for emergency use.
- Serum Institute of India CEO Adar Poonawalla notified of the development.
- Emergency Use Listing (EUL) by WHO is provided after several vaccine trials.
The World Health Organization on Friday approved, Serum Institute of India's Covovax for emergency use, said SII CEO Adar Poonawalla. The CEO also said that Covovax is showing "excellent safety and efficacy" against Covid 19.
Global body, WHO also notified of the development on its Twitter handle, with the caption, "WHO issued an emergency use listing for Covovax, expanding the basket of WHO-validated vaccines against Covid 19. The vaccine is produced by the Serum Institute of India under licence from Novavax".
“Even with new variants emerging, vaccines remain one of the most effective tools to protect people against serious illness and death from SARS-COV-2,” said Dr Mariângela Simão, WHO Assistant-Director General for Access to Medicines and Health Products.
Emergency Use Listing (EUL) by WHO is provided after several vaccine trials.
Not long ago, an expert panel of India's Central Drug Authority had reviewed SII's application for emergency use listing of Covovax. It had noted that the Covovax was not yet approved in its country of origin, that is by the DCGI (Drugs Controller General of India).
The DCGI office had granted SII permission to manufacture and stock Covovax on May 17.
