Pune-based Serum Institute of India, the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer, has collaborated with two American companies to develop a Covid-19 vaccine. In an exclusive interview, its CEO Adar C. Poonawalla talks about how the development is progressing and how he is planning to make the vaccine in India.
Q/ Your company is working on developing a Covid-19 vaccine. How soon will you be able to do it?
A/ We have tied up with two companies in the US to develop the Covid-19 vaccine. It is progressing well. One of the companies tied up with us has already started testing the vaccine candidates in animals. Further development would depend on which country will allow us to conduct human trials the fastest. Once that is done, we will decide on the further steps on the road. We are willing to go to another country for conducting clinical trials. We are likely to get the animal trials data in the next few months. All these will take a year and a half, if not two, until the vaccine is developed.
Q/ What prompted you to initiate the development of the Covid-19 vaccine?
This story is from the March 29, 2020 edition of THE WEEK.
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This story is from the March 29, 2020 edition of THE WEEK.
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