The city-based Serum Institute of India (SII) on Sunday clarified that claims in the media regarding its COVID-19 vaccine Covishield’s availability in 73 days are completely ‘false’ and ‘conjectural’.
There were reports in certain sections in the media claiming that the SII would be able to commercialise its vaccine, which is being developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University, in the next 73 days.
“The SII would like to clarify that the current claims surrounding Covishield’s availability in the media are completely false and conjectural. Presently, the government has granted us permission to only manufacture the vaccine and stockpile it for future use,” read a statement issued by the company.
It said the Covishield would be commercialised once the trials were proven successful and all the requisite regulatory approvals were in place.
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“The phase-3 trials for the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine are still under way. And only once the vaccine is proven immunogenic and efficacious, SII will confirm its availability, officially,” it said.
With the trials of the Covishield vaccine showing encouraging results, Adar Poonawalla, CEO of the Serum Institute of India (SII), had earlier said at least 300 million doses would be ready by December.
