One of the promising COVID-19 vaccine candidates today ‘Oxford Vaccine’ will begin human trials in India on August. The Oxford vaccine will be produced in India by the Serum Institute of India (SII) under the name Covishield by partnering with Astra Zeneca – a British-Swedish multinational pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical company.
The SII has sought the permission from Drug Controller General of India to conduct phase 2 and phase 3 in India on August. It submitted an application on Saturday.
“According to the application, it would conduct an observer-blind, randomized controlled study to determine the safety and immunogenicity of ‘Covishield’ (COVID-19) in healthy Indian adults. The firm said that around 1,600 participants of more than 18 years would be enrolled in the study,” a source said, reported PTI.
If the drug’s trials in India becomes successful, then by the first quarter of 2021 it could reach the multitudes of the country. Regarding the cost, nothing is fixed but it is said to be under Rs.1000. Reports say that the government will buy it from the pharma and distribute it for free.
AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford announced in April 2020 an agreement for the global development and distribution of the University’s potential recombinant adenovirus vaccine aimed at preventing COVID-19 infection from SARS-CoV-2.
The collaboration aims to bring to patients the potential vaccine that is developed by the Jenner Institute and Oxford Vaccine Group, at the University of Oxford. Under the agreement, AstraZeneca would be responsible for development and worldwide manufacturing and distribution of the vaccine.