Serum Institute India chief Adar Poonawalla has announced that the company may launch a second coronavirus vaccine in June this year. If approved, it could be India’s third coronavirus vaccine. Poonawalla said that SII’s partnership with Novavax, a vaccine undergoing trials for effectiveness against the novel coronavirus, has published ‘excellent efficacy results’.
Poonawalla took to Twitter saying, “Our partnership for a COVID-19 vaccine with @Novavax has also published excellent efficacy results. We have also applied to start trials in India. Hope to launch #COVOVAX by June 2021!” On January 16, India began a nation-wide inoculation drive after the drug regulator DCGI approved two vaccines – the SII’s Covishield and Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin for emergency use. Covishield has been developed in partnership with the Oxford University and British-Swedish firm AstraZeneca.
