Pune : The Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII) will begin human clinical trials of the second phase of the potential COVID-19 vaccine Covishield, developed by the University of Oxford. Sources said that a controlled study will be conducted on healthy adult Indians at Bharti Vidyapeeth Medical College and Hospital, Pune to check the safety and immunity of Covishield.
Significantly, SII is partnering in the production of a potential COVID-19 vaccine developed by the University of Oxford for the British-Swedish company AstraZeneca.
Prakash Kumar Singh, Additional Director of Government and Regulatory Affairs at SII, said, “We have received all approvals from the Central Pharmaceutical Standards and Control Organization. We are going to start human clinical trials at Bharathi Vidyapeeth Medical College and Hospital from 25 August.”
Amidst growing cases of coronavirus, people are waiting for the vaccine. The ‘Covishield’ vaccine in India from which all have high expectations is being produced by Oxford and Serum Institute. Serum Institute of India has clarified the claims being made about the availability of ‘Covishield’ in the media.
The Serum Institute of India said on Sunday that the institute clarified that the current claims on the availability of Covishield in the media are completely wrong and based on conjecture. He said, “Currently, the government has only allowed us to manufacture the vaccine and store it for future use.”