Pune: After Bharati hospital, KEM hospital began the phase 2 trial of Covishield vaccine by inoculating three healthy volunteers at its research unit in Vadhu (Shirur taluka) in Pune district on Thursday. The Covid-19 vaccine developed by Oxford University kick off first at Pune-based Bharati Hospital at two volunteers. followed by KEM Hospital on three volunteers at its research unit in Vadhu of Pune district on Thursday. Subsequently it will be follow by BJ Medical College and Jehangir Hospital.
Earlier, two volunteers, aged 32 and 48, were given a shot of the ‘Covishied vaccine, being manufactured by the city-based Serum Institute of India (SII), on Wednesday when the phase II clinical trial of the medicine began at Bharti Vidyapeeth’s Medical College and Hospital here. About 17 sites have been identified for the trials across the country of which four are in Pune. Bharati Hospital has shortlisted 350 volunteers above the age of 18 years. On Tuesday evening the five volunteers were conducted. “The hospital will be starting the trial of the vaccine with these five volunteers. If anyone is found unfit, they will be excluded from the trial,” said Dr Sanjay Lalwani, medical director of Bharati Hospital.
“On Thursday afternoon, three more volunteers – two females and a male – were administered the vaccine candidate after their reports of RT-PCR test for Covid-19 and antibody test came negative,” said Dr Sunita Palkar, in-charge of the research cell at the medical college. Meanwhile, Pathik Divate, director of Jehangir Clinical Development Centre, said, his hospital has decided to start the trial a little late, once the safety is established in the other three centres. In all total 25 candidates will be given the vaccine in the next seven days.