Even as AstraZeneca has paused the trials of its Covid-19 vaccine candidate after one of the participants in the UK developed an unexplained illness, more than 100 volunteers in India have completed the crucial week after receiving injections in the trials in phase two humans showing no adverse reaction. .
The Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII), the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer, has signed an agreement to manufacture the potential vaccine developed by the Jenner Institute at the University of Oxford in collaboration with the British-Swedish pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca. .
The IBS clarified that the Indian trials of the candidate vaccine continue without problems.
“We (Serum Institute of India) cannot comment on reports that AstraZeneca has paused trials in the UK, other than that they have been stopped for review and will be restarted soon. The Indian trials continue and we have not faced any problems, ”the SII said in a statement.
Of the 100 volunteers, 34 were from Bharti Vidyapeeth Medical College and Pune Hospital, who were given vaccine injections after trials for phase two began in India on August 26.
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According to doctors at the medical school and hospital, none of the 34 volunteers have shown any signs of health-related complications, and all their vital parameters appear normal. In addition to Bharti Vidyapeeth, two other Pune hospitals are conducting trials, including KEM.
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“We have completed phase two testing of 100 entries in India, 34 of which were from Bharti Vidyapeeth. It has been a week since the injections were given to 34 volunteers at our institute and none of them showed any adverse reactions, ”said Dr. Sanjay Lalwani, medical director of the Bharti Vidyapeeth medical school and hospital.
All the data on the volunteers and the results of the trials, according to Lalwani, have been sent to the SII. The data, in turn, will be collected by the Data System Monitoring Board at the level of the Controller General of Drugs of India (DCGI) for further review.
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