Media reports over availability of COVID-19 vaccine are false, says Serum Institute of India

New Delhi, Aug 23: Serum Institute of India on Sunday clarified that the current claims over COVISHIELD's availability, in the media are completely false and conjectural.

''Presently, government has granted us permission to only manufacture the vaccine and stockpile it for future use. COVISHIELD will be commercialized once trials are proven successful & requisite regulatory approvals are in place. Phase-3 trials for Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine are underway. Only once vaccine is proven immunogenic & efficacious, SII will confirm its availability officially,''the company said.

A Business Today report said,'' Covishield, the Oxford University-Astra Zeneca vaccine candidate, will be commercialized in 73 days. Quoting sources, the report said that the company has entered into an "exclusive agreement with Astra Zeneca to buy rights and pay a royalty fee for exclusively selling it in India and 92 other countries.

The Phase III trials began on August 22 at 20 centres in India, predominantly in Pune and Mumbai in Maharashtra and Ahmedabad in Gujarat. Under this crucial phase, the vaccine will be administered to 1,600 people.