Pune-based Serum Institute of India decided to go big on a vaccine for Covid-19 much before it had even completed clinical trials. The Oxford vaccine is now being deemed as 'safe' in early trials
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The group has also partnered with American biotech firm Codagenix and Austria's Themis to potentially manufacture vaccine candidates that are still in development. “We are working with multiple partners across the US, UK, and Europe on four different vaccine candidates,” Poonawalla had told Forbes India earlier.
For now, the vaccines are likely to cost around ₹1,000 per dose. Poonawalla had said he expected the government to purchase them and then undertake mass inoculation. “We are not asking for any money for dedicating a ₹700-crore manufacturing plant, including the manpower, energy cost, and other things from the government,” he said. “All we are saying is buy the vaccine and give it free to everyone.”(This story appears in the 31 July, 2020 issue of Forbes India. To visit our Archives, click here.)