As the human trials started on the much-awaited vaccine developed by prestigious Oxford University, Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII) is planning to manufacture the same and make it available in India.
The trials started with 800 volunteers to test the new vaccine ChAdOx1 nCoV-19, which the scientists hope, would be 80% successful in defeating the deadly corona virus. The scientists hope to make the vaccine ready by September.
Serum Institute has partnered with Oxford University. “SII plans to begin manufacturing the ChAdOx1 vaccine in anticipation of the clinical trials in the UK succeeding by September/October. SII will initiate the manufacture at its own risk to jump-start manufacturing and have enough doses available, if the clinical trials work,” SII CEO Adar Poonawalla was quoted saying.
The vaccine is made from a weakened version of a common cold adenovirus taken from chimps and genetically modified to make it impossible for it to infect humans.
The ChAdOx1 vaccine platform has been used to produce vaccine candidates against many viruses, including those causing influenza, chikungunya, and zika. The Oxford group has used it to develop a vaccine against Middle-East Respiratory Syndrome (Mers) coronavirus, which showed promising results in clinical trials.
