As the expert panel in the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has said ok to the Oxford COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use in India. Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII), the world's largest vaccine manufacturer, has entered into a tie-up with AstraZeneca to manufacture 'Covishield'. An official approval, however, is awaited from the drug regulator Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI). With this India is moving to roll out the vaccination from the coming week.
The panel had advised on the emergency use authorisation applications by the Serum Institute of India for the Oxford COVID-19 vaccine and Bharat Biotech's 'Covaxin'.
As per the sources, SII had applied to the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) for emergency use authorisation for Covishield on December 6 while the Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech had sought a similar nod for its its indigenously developed Covaxin on December 7.
Pfizer had applied for a similiar approval for its vaccine on December 4. However, the UK had approved the COVID-19 vaccine developed by scientists at Oxford University and produced by AstraZeneca for human use, the second coronavirus vaccine to be cleared for rollout in Britain after the Pfizer and BioNTech jabs.
The Oxford vaccine, which also has a tie-up with the Serum Institute of India, was being evaluated by the British regulator - the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) - after the final cut of data was submitted by the government last week.
