AstraZeneca-Oxford COVID 19 vaccine phase III human clinical trial begins in Pune

The COVID-19 Vaccine manufactured by the Serum Institute of India and Developed by AstraZeneca-Oxford University, begins phase III human clinical trial in Pune. According to a senior official, the phase III clinical trial started at the state-run Sassoon General Hospital in Maharashtra on Monday.

The Phase II trials of the Vaccine had conducted at Bharti Vidyapeeth Medical College and KEM Hospital in the city.

"We have started the phase-III trials of the Vaccine (candidate Covishield). We will administer a dose to 150 to 200 volunteers," said Dr. Muralidhar Tambe, Dean of the Sassoon General Hospital.

Earlier, the clinical trials were allowed to be resumed in India by the orders from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) Dr. VG Somani, after a short pause due to an 'unexplained illness' reported among the candidates in UK trials. The recruitment of the candidates for the clinical trials was suspended in India by the DCGI after The AstraZeneca had paused clinical trials in other countries. However, the clinical trials have now resumed by the pharma giant AstraZeneca in the UK.

The start of the Phase III clinical trials of the potential COVID-19 Vaccine marks as a big step for the manufacturing of the Vaccine in India. After the Phase III trials are successfully conducted, India can move towards granting Emergency use of the Vaccine for healthcare workers and people exposed to the virus in controlling the outbreak.