CSIR to wait for peer-review on efficacy of Oxford's Covid vaccine; 'but very encouraging'

Director-General of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Shekhar C Mande, spoke about Covishield vaccine candidate, stating that in spite of efficacy it shows, y will wait for final peer-review of COVID-19 vaccine candidate. Speaking furr about results of Covishielf trials, CSIR chief called vaccine 'encouraging'. This comes just a day after Serum Institute of India CEO ar Poonawalla claimed that Covishield will be widely available at a maximum cost of Rs. 1,000 for two doses of COVID-19 vaccine that is over 70% efficient. Covishield is a COVID-19 vaccine candidate being developed by Oxford University in collaboration with pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca and Serum Institute of India. 

CSIR Director-General Shekhar C Mande said, "Based on results revealed, Covidshield seems to be very encouraging. But as a scientist one trusts scientific publications that are peer-reviewed. So we will have to wait for final word till paper (on vaccine candidate efficacy) is published in a peer-reviewed journal. But if results are true, which are being flashed on channels, it seems very encouraging. University of Oxford and AstraZeneca, a UK-based company, have collaborated with Indian company, which is conducting a trial in country."

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CSIR chief furr ded that if results of vaccine trial turn out to but just as good as is being projected n it will be produced in 'large numbers' while stating that Serum Institute of India has capabilities and facilities needed to produce a large number of vaccine does which means that COVID-19 vaccine would be available 'very soon after regulatory approval'. Speaking about or COVID-19 vaccine candidates, Mande said, "Pfizer and Moderna have developed vaccine in US and Europe. We will have to see how y have planned to tie up with Indian companies and make it available to Indian population."

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ar Poonawala: "I am delighted"

As cases continue to rise, several firms and pharmaceutical giants across globe are working hard to find a cure, treatment or vaccine for COVID-19 that has taken a toll on world and one such institute is Serum Institute of India. After a dosing error led to 90% efficacy of coronavirus vaccine being developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca, it was revealed that Covishield has overall efficacy of over 70% which could go up to 90% if first dose is reduced to half followed by a full dose 21 days later. Soon after trial data was released, CEO of Serum Institute of India, ar Poonawala took to Twitter to express his joy while ding that vaccine is 'low-cost' and 'logistically manable'. Earlier on vember 19, Poonawala h said that vaccine will be available for healthcare workers and elderly people by February of 2021 and by April for rest of people while informing that it will be priced at about Rs. 1,000 for two doses. 

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(With inputs from ANI)