31/10/2026
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Men ride on a motorbike past a supply truck of India's Serum Institute, the world's largest maker of vaccines, which is working on a vaccine against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Pune, India, May 18, 2020. Photo: Reuters/Euan Rocha

The vaccines of Serum Institute and Bharat Biotech have been approved for restricted emergency use by the CDSCO.

Pune: Serum Institute of India CEO Adar Poonawalla on Sunday said the company’s Covishield vaccine, derived from the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, is ready to be rolled out in the coming weeks.

Poonawalla’s remarks came soon after India’s drugs regulator approved Covishield for restricted emergency use.

“Happy new year, everyone! All the risks @SerumInstIndia took with stockpiling the vaccine, have finally paid off. COVISHIELD, India’s first COVID-19 vaccine is approved, safe, effective and ready to roll-out in the coming weeks,” Poonawalla tweeted.

“Thank you Hon. Sri @narendramodi Ji, Hon. Sri @drharshvardhan Ji, @MoHFW_INDIA @ICMRDELHI @DBTIndia #DCGI_India @UniofOxford @AstraZeneca @gavi @GaviSeth @gatesfoundation and @BillGates for your support,” he added.