With the surge in coronavirus cases and deaths in India, Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII) is struggling to meet supplies. CEO Adar Poonawalla told Times of India on Friday that the firm is planning to begin vaccine production outside India. Poonawalla said, ‘there's going to be an announcement in the next few days”.
The SII, which is India's largest vaccine manufacturer and the world’s by volume, manufactures the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine jointly developed with Oxford University. It is sold in India under the name Covishield. "
The SII would be able to increase its monthly vaccine production to 100 million doses by July this year, Poonawalla said. It would raise its production capacity from 2.5 billion to 3 billion doses a year within six months, he was quoted as saying in TOI.
The nation's coronavirus cases may peak between May 3-5, according to scientists advising the government.