Coronavirus: Oxford COVID-19 vaccine’s phase II human trial begins in Pune

COVID-19 vaccine developed by the University of Oxford started it’s phase II human trials in India on Wednesday (August 26)  

Pune: The Phase II clinical trial of the Oxford COVID-19 vaccine began at a medical college and hospital in Pune on August 26. According to reports, two male volunteers were administered the vaccine at Bharati Vidyapeeth's Medical College and Hospital.

The report added that Pune-based Serum Institute of India partnered with AstraZeneca to manufacture the COVID-19 vaccine candidate for India and low-and-middle income countries.

Five volunteers enrolled to get for the Phase II trial of Covishield vaccine at Bharati Vidyapeeth's Medical College and Hospital in Pune. The doctors conducted COVID-19 and antibodies tests on all of them. Three volunteers had tested positive for a coronavirus antibodies test; hence they became ineligible for the trial. Two of them were administered the vaccine, according to news agency PTI.

Dr Sanjay Lalwani, medical director of Bharti Vidyapeeth's Medical College, Hospital and Research Centre told a news agency that the doctors at the hospital administered the first shot of the Covishield vaccine to a 32-year-old man after his reports of COVID-19 and antibodies tests came out negative.

Another 48-year-old male volunteer was also given the vaccine, he added. While the 32-year-old volunteer works for a private company, the other one is associated with the healthcare sector, he said. "The two volunteers, who were administered the vaccines are being monitored," Lalwani said.