India’s Serum Institute rolls out 1st batch of Novavax vaccine, likely to hit market in Sept

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The Serum Institute of India on Friday started manufacturing the first batch of US pharma major Novavax's COVID-19 vaccine in Pune which is expected to be made available for use in India in September under the Covovax brand name.</p>
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The vaccine is still undergoing final stage trials but is manufactured in advance so that distribution can start as soon as the approval comes through to save precious time.</p>
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Adar Poonawalla, the CEO of the SII, tweeted: "Excited to witness the first batch of Covovax (developed by @Novavax) being manufactured this week at our facility in Pune. The vaccine has great potential to protect our future generations below the age of 18. Trials are ongoing. Well done team @seruminstindia! "</p>
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<strong>Also read:</strong>  <a href="https://www.indianarrative.com/health-news/novavax-s-covid-vaccine-proves-over-effective-in-large-late-stage-trial-95332.html">Novavax's Covid vaccine proves over 90% effective in large late-stage trial</a></p>
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Mr Poonawalla had earlier said he hoped to launch the Covovax vaccineby June. Later, he said vaccine launch was likely by September.</p>
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The Novavax vaccine is more than 90% effective based on a study that “enrolled 29,960 participants across 119 sites in the U.S. and Mexico to evaluate efficacy, safety and immunogenicity," the company had said.</p>
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The vaccine is also covered as part of the Indo-Pacific Quad agreement under which the US and Japan have agreed to finance the production of vaccines while using India’s large manufacturing capacity as a hub. The vaccines would also be exported to South-east Asia to combat the Covid-19 pandemic.</p>
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The Serum Institute is already producing the Covishield vaccine in collaboration with UK pharma giant AstraZeneca which along with Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin is the mainstay India’s vaccination drive.</p>
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