BRIEF—SII to export 30m doses of COVID-19 vaccine to WHO-backed COVAX by December

The Serum Institute of India (SII), which bagged the go-ahead last month to start Covovax trials on children above seven years old, could export 30 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to WHO-backed COVAX by December.

The manufacturer of Covishield, the vaccine which became the backbone of India’s vaccination drive against COVID-19, the SII has boosted its Covishield production capacity to 220 million doses per month.

The world's biggest vaccine maker said the company's production of the vaccine could go up to 240 million doses a month.

The Pune-based vaccine maker is waiting for the Indian government to lay down proper directions regarding vaccine exports.

Right from choosing to go with at-risk manufacturing, obtaining approvals, procuring raw materials in a global lockdown, setting up facilities, securing logistical, infrastructural, and financial avenues that could withstand and deliver the high demand, the company has come a long way.

Covovax, another COVID-19 vaccine manufactured by the SII for children, is expected to be launched across the country by February, though the company is not keen to fast-track ongoing trials.

With COVID-19 pandemic entering into its second year, pharmaceutical companies across the world are developing more than 300 vaccines against Coronavirus. There are some 126 vaccines in clinical development.