Health Desk – 28 Mar, 2021: Serum Institute of India CEO Adar Poonawalla today tweeted that the trial for their second Covid-19 vaccine “Covovax” already commenced and his company hopes to launch it by September this year.
The trials of “Covovax,” made by Serum and US vaccine development company Novavax, began at a hospital in the western Indian city of Pune yesterday, Poonawalla said.
“Covovax trials finally begin in India; the vaccine is made through a partnership with @Novavax and @SerumInstIndia,” his tweet said.
“Covovax” has been tested against African and UK variants of Covid-19 and has overall efficacy of 89 percent. “Hope to launch by September 2021!” he added.
Serum Institute of India, the world’s largest vaccine maker by the number of doses it produces, is supplying its first vaccine “Covishield,” developed in collaboration with Oxford University and AstraZeneca, to India and several other countries.
Delhi’s Hamdard Institute of Medical Sciences and Research will also be a part of the trial which will take place at 19 sites across India covering 1,140 participants.
SII had approached India’s drug sector regulator Drugs Controller General of India to start clinical trials of “Covovax”.
India has so far administered more than 5.69 crore vaccine doses of “Covishield” and “Covaxin”.
India stands second in the world in terms of the number of vaccine doses administered as of March 25.
