Serum Institute Begins Trials Of Covovax Vaccine

“Covovax trails finally begin in India,” confirms Adar Poonawalla, CEO of the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer Serum Institute of India. Covovax vaccine is being developed in partnership with American vaccine developer Novavax.

Covovax is the SII’s second coronavirus vaccine after India approved Covishield from the Oxford-AstraZeneca, which was manufactured by Serum Institute of India (SII), for emergency use. Once approved, Covovax will be Serum Institute of India’s second COVID-19 vaccine after Covishield. India also approved another vaccine, Covaxin, developed by Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech.

Mr Poonawalla said in his tweet that Covovax will be launched in September, who earlier hoped to launch it in June. The Covid jab – found to be 89.3 per cent effective in a UK trial – has been tested against African and UK variants, believed to be much more infections.

“Covovax trials finally begin in India; the vaccine is made through a partnership with @Novavax and @SerumInstIndi. It has been tested against African and UK variants of #COVID19 and has overall efficacy of 89%. Hope to launch by September 2021 (sic)!”, Poonawalla wrote in a tweet.

As we recall, India commenced the world’s largest vaccine drive on January 16 2021 and the priority was given to health workers and frontline workers. From March 1, the vaccines are being given to those above 60 and above 45 with comorbidities. From April 1, all people above 45 can get themselves vaccinated.

The fresh reported cases today in India are over 62,258 in the last 24 hours taking the country’s tally to 1.19 crore cases. Maharashtra is the worst-hit state followed by Delhi and Punjab. The centre confirmed that a new “double mutant” of the virus has been first detected in Maharashtra and it has spread to 18 states.