Covishield in open market after March-April: Serum Institute of India on Oxford vaccine

Recently, following the Prime Minister’s visit to the facility, SII CEO Adar Poonawala had announced that the firm is set to apply to the apex drug regulator for emergency use authorisation.
This undated file photo issued by the University of Oxford on Monday, Nov. 23, 2020, shows of vial of coronavirus vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University. (Photo | AP)
This undated file photo issued by the University of Oxford on Monday, Nov. 23, 2020, shows of vial of coronavirus vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University. (Photo | AP)

NEW DELHI: The Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII) could make the Covid-19 vaccine by AstraZeneca-Oxford University available in India’s market after March-April next year, the company has told this newspaper. SII is the manufacturing partner for Covishield and is also sponsoring phase 2, 3 trial of the vaccine on 1,600 volunteers.

Recently, following the Prime Minister’s visit to the facility, SII CEO Adar Poonawala had announced that the firm is set to apply to the apex drug regulator for emergency use authorisation of the vaccine in 
two weeks.

This comes after AstraZeneca made public the interim analysis of the late-stage vaccine trials from UK and Brazil which showed that its average efficacy for two different dosing regimens is 70.4%. Poonawala, at an event, had said that the vaccine could be available for $5-6 in India, without sharing details of the timeline.

Responding to queries by this newspaper, the company however said that at present, under an at-risk manufacturing and stockpiling license from the Drugs Controller General of India, it has already produced 40 million doses, and will be manufacturing 60-70 million doses, stretching up to 100 million doses by February, 2021. 

“We have already started manufacturing in small batches and we hope to reach about 400 million doses by June-July 2021,” it said.For the government, the cost of the vaccine, as of now, could be $2-3 per dose and every person to be inoculated needs two doses. “Private markets could be available after March-April,” SII said.

Experts believe that Covishield could be the first vaccine against Covid-19 to be available in India as Pfizer and Moderna, whose vaccines may be available for public use sooner, have no plans for India yet. 

The Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech, whose indigenously based potential vaccine is now under phase 3 trial in over 16,000 participants, has hinted that its vaccine could be available for use in the second quarter next year.

500 mn vaccine doses by July ’21

The Centre is hoping to receive about 500 million doses of the vaccine by June-July next year which will then be administered to the most vulnerable groups identified by the states. 

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com