“Once the tests are successful in India and the UK, we are confident that VOCISHIELD will be one of the first vaccines to be introduced.”
In an email interaction with Sohini Das, Poonawalla, low, claims that the company is investing $200 million in the vaccine facility and that it must keep the value below 1000 rupees.
I am convinced that the Oxford-AstraZeneca candidate vaccine will be immunogenic and for mass use.
We must file an application with the DCGI (General Drug Controller of India) for certification testing.
As everything rushes, we expect to get approvals in about two weeks.
After that, we will begin phase III human trials in India.
Phase III clinical trials are expected to begin around August.
We have studied Phase I trials in nearly 1000 patients, but in other countries this reaches 40 to 60 patients.
For phase III trials, we plan between 5,000 and 10,000 patients, adding 4,000 to 5,000 in India.
There are several control sites in Mumbai and Pune, as these cities have several hot spots, which will allow us to perceive their effectiveness.
Most vaccines are given in two or three doses, to start with the first dose and then immunity with the dose at the moment.
Similarly, I expect COVID-19 vaccines to be given in two doses.
We have invested nearly $200 million in the existing production of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine.
Once the vaccine enters the progression phase, we will be more developed.
Keeping in mind the pandemic situation, we have dedicated two of our facilities to produce millions of doses for the COVID-19 vaccine, while withholding vast production of other products.
We work together with the government and regulators on approvals. They’re open.
It’s too early to comment on prices. However, initially, we would like to keep it at Rs 1000.
The government will take over the distribution. We hope that other people don’t have to pay for the vaccine in the first place.
Since the scenario will only improve with extensive vaccine penetration, it will be a component of the initial vaccination programme.
So far, we have connected with applicants and are running two of our own applicants. We look forward to announcing the availability of our own vaccines until the end of 2021.
According to our associations, we will have to manufacture and distribute the Novavax candidate in the GAVI countries.
The Codagenix vaccine is expected to progress soon and we have a global production and an agreement with them.
We have also established an MNR candidate with a company and hope to announce it soon.
Lately we are conducting Phase III vaccine trials with the innate ability to fight the virus and decrease the severity of COVID-19.
It’s a vaccine because it’s given to newborns and we’ve been promoting it in over a hundred countries for many decades.
According to our trials, we will be confident of the effectiveness and viability of the vaccine, after which we will begin mass production.