COVID-19 vaccine to be available in Indian market by March

"India is heading fast towards vaccine development as two manufacturers are already in phase-3 trial and one in the phase-2 trial, while more players are joining the race," the Indian Express quoted Jadhav as saying. Serum Institute of India can produce 700-800 million vaccine dosages every year once things are streamlined, he added.

Pune-based drug maker signed a deal with British-Swedish company AstraZeneca to manufacture COVID-19 vaccine candidate, developed by the University of Oxford. The final stage of the clinical trial of Oxford's COVID-19 vaccine has already started in the country.

Serum Institute of India will be ready with 60-70 million dosages of vaccines by December 2020 but that will come in the market in 2021 after the clearance of licensing, added Dr. Jadav. Healthcare workers should get the vaccines first, followed by people over 60 years of age with comorbidities and the rest of the populace, he stated.

"The end of the year target for getting vaccine roll-out, it's a possibility but there's absolutely no certainty about that because we need three things to happen," Sarah Gilbert earlier told.

Serum Institute of India will make up to 200 million COVID-19 vaccine doses for poorer countries, including India, next year, as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and GAVI vaccines alliance have doubled their funding, the company said. The collaboration takes forward an initial agreement signed in August by Serum, GAVI, and the Gates Foundation for 100 million doses to be priced at a maximum of $3 each.

The total funding provided is now $300 million, and the expanded collaboration also has an option for the provision of additional doses as needed.