Serum Institute to apply for DCGI approval for clinical trial of Covovax on kids

New Delhi, June 26: Pune-based Serum of Institute of India (SII) is likely to apply for permission from the Drug Controller and General of India (DCGI) to conduct a clinical trial of Covovax on children.

This is the second Covid-19 vaccine candidate, which is being developed and manufactured at Pune-based SII.

SII authorities told The Indian Express that initially, they would apply for approval to conduct clinical trials of the Covovax vaccine in the 12-18 age group and then in the age group below 12 years.

The clinical trials of Covovax vaccine have begun in India and the company hopes to launch it by September this year.

In August 2020, American vaccine company Novavax Inc had announced a licence agreement with SII for the development and commercialisation of NVX-CoV2373, its COVID-19 vaccine candidate, in low and middle-income countries and India.

In January this year, the Serum Institute had rolled out Covishield vaccine in the country. It had entered into a collaboration with the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca to manufacture the vaccine.