Coronavirus vaccine in India: Phase 2 human trials of Oxford’s COVID vaccine begin in Pune, 6 to get 1st dose

Coronavirus vaccine in India: Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) on August 3 gave its nod to Serum Institute to conduct phase-2 and phase 3 human clinical trials of the vaccine candidate across India.

Coronavirus vaccine in India update trial status: Phase 2 human trials of Oxford-AstraZeneca’s experimental Covid19 vaccine candidate ‘Covishield’ has begun in Pune. On Wednesday, six volunteers are set to get inoculated with the potential COVID vaccine, which is being manufactured by the Pune-based Serum Institute in India, at Bharati Vidyapeeth Medical College and Hospital.

The phase 2 human trials process of Oxford’s coronavirus vaccine in India began on Tuesday. Three women and men were screened. They underwent a Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) coronavirus test. If the COVID19 test results come out as favourable, then they will be administered the vaccine, Medical director of Bharati Vidyapeeth’s medical college and hospital Sanjay Lalwani was quoted as saying by Indian Express.

The Coronavirus vaccine candidate ChadOx1NcOV is being developed by Jenner institute of the University of Oxford in collaboration with British-Swedish pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca. The Serum Institute has tied up with AstraZeneca to produce 1 billion doses of the vaccine in the country under the brand name of ‘Covishield’ in India. Oxford-AstraZeneca’s phase 3 human trials have been going on in the UK, Brazil, and South Africa. Results of the phase 1/2 trial of the Oxford-AstraZeneca’s vaccine candidate were published in ‘The Lancet’ medical journal. The results show that the potential vaccine had induced a strong immune response which is considered a positive thing.

Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) on August 3 gave its nod to Serum Institute to conduct phase-2 and phase 3 human clinical trials of the vaccine candidate across India. As many as 17 sites across India were identified as phase 2 and Phase 3 human trials sites and 1,600 candidates would be administered, as per the IE report.

The search for the elusive Coronavirus vaccine is going on around the world. More than 165 vaccines are at different stages of development. Around 32 vaccine candidates have entered human trials.