India Gears up for Manufacturing Oxford COVID Vaccine : ‘5 Sites Ready’ – Report!

India has announced that five sites across the country are ready for the third and final phase of human trials for the coronavirus vaccine developed by Oxford Astra Zeneca. Renu Swarap, the Secretary of Development of Biotechnology (DBT) confirmed the same.

DBT is part of any coronavirus vaccine effort in India, "... Whether it is funding, whether it is facilitating the regulatory clearances or whether it is giving them access to different networks which exist within the country,” told Swarup.

"The DBT is now setting up Phase 3 clinical sites. We have already started working on them and five sites are now ready to be available for Phase 3 trials," she added.

The Serum Institute of India has been chosen by Oxford and its partner Astra Zeneca to manufacture the vaccine at a large scale as soon as the vaccine is ready. This vaccine called as covishield is in its final stage before approval.

"DBT is closely working with every manufacturer and Phase 3 trial of Serum (institute) is important because if the vaccine has to be successful and it has to be given to the Indian population we need to have the data within the country.

"For that a Phase 3 trial has been proposed. Five sites are ready. Within some more weeks, they should be ready for manufacturers to take them up for clinical trial studies," the DBT secretary said.