COVID Vaccine: Oxford Pause Won’t Impact Trials In India, Assures Serum Institute CEO

The clinical trials of the COVID-19 vaccine candidate being developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca may have been put on pause following an adverse reaction observed in one of the participants in the UK, but that’s not going to affect the vaccine’s trials in India.

“This incident in the UK will have no impact on the Indian vaccine trial being carried out by Serum Institute,” said CEO of Serum Institute of India (SII) Adar Poonawalla.

SII is partnering University of Oxford’s Jenner Institute in conducting trials of the vaccine AZD1222 (aka ChAdOx1 nCoV-19) in India, also known as COVISHIELD.

SII trials are currently taking place in 17 sites, each with over 1,000 patients.

“Nothing untoward has been reported during the vaccine trials in India,” Poonawalla told India Today on Wednesday.

“The reaction that has been reported is not directly linked to the vaccine. The person who has had the reaction had an existing neurological condition. During a vaccine trial such events are common place,” he said.

On an encouraging note, he further said, “Our production timelines are on schedule as planned.”

Also Read: Serum Institute Starts Phase 2 Trial Of Oxford COVID-19 Vaccine Candidate Today