Serum Institute India set for Novavax COVID vaccine trials on children from July: Report

New Delhi: The Pune-based vaccine makers, Serum Institute of India hopes to start the clinical trials of Novavax's Covid-19 vaccine 'Covovax' on children in July making it the fourth anti-COVID-19 vaccine in trial phase in the country.

The SII is also planning to introduce 'Covovax', the Indian version of US firm Novavax's vaccine in India by September, sources told ANI.

Earlier on Wednesday, SII CEO Adar Poonawalla has said that they are planning to start clinical trials of Covovax for children from July and that that they will be ready to launch it in India by September. However, the required regulatory nod from the Centre is awaited.

Meanwhile, Novavax, in a statement, had said stated that the vaccine candidate 'NVX-CoV2373' showed strong efficacy against the coronavirus in a large trial. The shot was found to be 90% effective at preventing symptomatic COVID-19 and 100% effective at preventing moderate and severe symptoms, the US-based biotech firm had said in a statement.

The Serum Institute of India has an agreement with Novavax Inc, a US-based company, to manufacture vaccine which in India is called 'Covovax'. SII is already supplying AstraZeneca/Oxford Covid-19 vaccine, Covishield, in India and to other countries across the world.