The bridging study of Serum Institute of India’s (SII) new Covid vaccine “Covovax” will soon begin in Pune, with screening process of volunteers in the city having begun this week, according to a source close to the development. The protein-based vaccine, developed by American vaccine maker Novavax, is being manufactured in the country by SII. The company expects to launch Covovax by August following the bridging study in India. This study will be conducted using 1,600 participants in 19 sites across Delhi, UP, Maharashtra, Kerala, Punjab, Puducherry, Odisha, Karnataka and West Bengal. Four of these sites are in Pune — Dr D.Y. Patil Medical College, Hospital and Research Centre, KEM Hospital Research Centre (Vadu), Noble Hospital and Sahyadri Super Specialty Hospital. It is not clear at this time which of these sites have already started screening participants. The study is expected to test the safety, including any serious adverse events caused by Covovax. It will check the vaccine’s ability to prompt the same immune response in those vaccinated as NVX-CoV2373, the vaccine developed by Novavax.
