Covovax: Third COVID-19 vaccine may soon be available in India

A third type of coronavirus vaccine may soon be made available in India. This was informed by Serum Institute of India’s CEO Adar Poonawala.

Poonawala said in a tweet that Serum Institute's partnership for a COVID-19 vaccine with Novavax has also published excellent efficacy results. He added saying that they have applied to start trials in India and hope to launch the vaccine-COVOVAX by June 2021!

Our partnership for a COVID-19 vaccine with @Novavax has also published excellent efficacy results. We have also applied to start trials in India. Hope to launch #COVOVAX by June 2021!

— Adar Poonawalla (@adarpoonawalla) January 30, 2021

Key Highlights

•As per Novovax, the Covovax COVID-19 vaccine has shown 89.3% efficacy in its Phase 3 clinical trial conducted in the United Kingdom.

•The study had assessed the efficacy of the vaccine during a period with high transmission, especially with the new UK variant strain of the virus emerging and circulating widely. 

•The study was conducted in partnership with the UK Government’s Vaccines Taskforce.  

•Novavax had earlier also announced successful results of its Phase 2b study, which was conducted in South Africa.

According to President and Chief Executive Officer of Novavax Stanley C. Erck, Covovax is the first vaccine to demonstrate high clinical efficacy against COVID-19 but also significant clinical efficacy against both the rapidly emerging UK and South Africa variants.