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

The Director-General of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Shekhar C Mande, spoke about the Covishield vaccine candidate, stating that in spite of the efficacy it shows, they will wait for the final peer-review of the COVID-19 vaccine candidate. Speaking further about the results of the Covishielf trials, the CSIR chief called the vaccine 'encouraging'. This comes just a day after the Serum Institute of India CEO Adar Poonawalla claimed that Covishield will be widely available at a maximum cost of Rs. 1,000 for two doses of the 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 the 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 the final word till the paper (on the vaccine candidate efficacy) is published in a peer-reviewed journal. But if the results are true, which are being flashed on channels, it seems very encouraging. The University of Oxford and AstraZeneca, a UK-based company, have collaborated with the Indian company, which is conducting a trial in the country."

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

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Adar Poonawala: "I am delighted"

As the cases continue to rise, several firms and pharmaceutical giants across the globe are working hard to find a cure, treatment or vaccine for COVID-19 that has taken a toll on the world and one such institute is the Serum Institute of India. After a dosing error led to 90% efficacy of the 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 the first dose is reduced to half followed by a full dose 21 days later. Soon after the trial data was released, CEO of Serum Institute of India, Adar Poonawala took to Twitter to express his joy while adding that the vaccine is 'low-cost' and 'logistically manageable'. Earlier on November 19, Poonawala had said that the vaccine will be available for the healthcare workers and elderly people by February of 2021 and by April for the rest of the people while informing that it will be priced at about Rs. 1,000 for two doses. 

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(With inputs from ANI)