Serum Institute, Pune-based Serum Institute, the country’s largest pharmaceutical company, has started production of the first batch of Covavax. Serum Institute tweeted on Friday saying that it has achieved a new position. This week, we have started making the first batch of the COVID-19 vaccine prepared by Novavax, which has been named Covovax in India.
Adar Poonawalla, CEO, Serum Institute, said, “Excited to see the first batch of Covavax being produced in Pune this week. This vaccine has the potential to protect future generations in the age group below 18 years. Trials are ongoing. It’s a great team.”
Earlier, the Union Government said that the efficacy data of Novavax vaccine against COVID-19 is promising and encouraging and its clinical trials are in advanced stage of completion in India. Addressing a press conference, NITI Aayog member (health) VK Paul said that publicly available data also indicates that the vaccine is safe and highly effective.
He said, “What we are seeing from the available data is that the vaccine is very safe and effective. But what makes this vaccine effective for today is that the vaccine will be produced by the Serum Institute in India.” The preparatory work has already been completed by Serum Institute and they are conducting tests to make the system fully functional which is in advanced stage of completion.
Novavax’s coronavirus vaccine has demonstrated 93 percent efficacy against predominantly circulating variants of concern and variants of interest, Novavax said in the statement.
Serum Institute is producing Oxford-AstraZeneca’s Covid vaccine ‘Covishield’ in India. Clinical trial of its second vaccine ‘Covovax’ is also going on in the country. The Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) has approved amendments to the protocol for conducting the third clinical trial of ‘Covovax’. Earlier, DCGI had given permission to Serum Institute of India (SII) to make Russia’s Sputnik-V vaccine.