'India likely to have COVID-19 vaccine by December', says Serum Institute's CEO Poonawalla

In a massive development, Serum Institute of India CEO Adar Poonawalla said that India should have coronavirus vaccine by end of this year, adding that final price of anti-virus dose will be anunced in two months. institute had last week anunced its partnership with Gavi and Gates Foundation that will accelerate manufacture and delivery of up to 100 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines for India and low- and middle-income countries.

According to media reports, Pune based SII will have exclusive rights for vaccine in India during term of deal and n-exclusive rights during “Pandemic Period” in all countries or than those designated by World Bank as upper-middle or high-income countries.

READ: Russia names ‘world’s first’ COVID-19 vaccine after first Earth satellite ‘Sputnik’

Meanwhile, last week,  Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) gave d to Serum Institute of India for conducting phase 2 and 3 human clinical trials of Oxford University's COVID-19 vaccine candidate in country.

Bharat Biotech and Zydus Cadila, which have been conducting early-st testing of ir candidates Covaxin and ZyCov-D over last 20 days, are also starting second phase trials, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Director-General Dr Balram Bhargava said on Tuesday.

READ: Serum signs Covid vaccine deal with US-based vavax; gets exclusive rights for India

Serum-Oxford COVID vaccine 

While exchange between Mahindra and Poonawalla delighted several internet users, it was reported coronavirus vaccine developed at Oxford University will be in India by vember. SII recently also received Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) approval to conduct phase 2 and 3 human clinical trials of its potential COVID-19 vaccine in India.

According to study design, drug-firm will be administrating each subject with two doses four weeks apart. researchers will be assessing safety and immugenicity at predefined intervals.  domestic pharma giant has partnered with British drugmaker AstraZeneca for manufacturing Oxford vaccine candidate for COVID-19.

READ: COVID-19: CEO of Serum institute responds to Anand Mahindra's 'Big V vaccine' tweet

Russia anunces vaccine

Russian vaccine is developed at Gamaleya institute in Moscow and authorities in former Soviet Union are planning to start mass production by September. Scientists in Russia have controversially claimed that y will be first country to develop a COVID-19 vaccine in world, even comparing it with -race between United States and USSR, when latter sent first satellite into . According to reports, researchers and scientists working on vaccine at Gamaleya institute months ago injected prototype into mselves, garnering criticism from international health community for rushing human trials.

READ: Serum-Oxford COVID-19 vaccine gets DGCI d for Phase 2, 3 clinical trials in India