Serum Institute gets the nod to include 7-11 Year-olds in vaccine trials

Vaccine producer Serum Institute (SII) was given the nod today to include 7-11 year-olds for Covid vaccine trials by the country's drug regulator. The trial is for US drugmaker Novavax's Covid-19 vaccine.

Serum Institute is already holding trials of its vaccine Covovax, the domestic version version of Novavax's vaccine among the 12-17 years age group. It has produced the safety data for the first 100 participants.

A subject expert panel of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation said, "After detailed deliberation, the committee recommended for allowing enrolment of subjects of 7 to 11 years of age group as per the protocol".

Serum Institute chief Adar Poonawalla had earlier said that he expects the approval of Covovax for those below 18 by January or February, next year.

Notably, Zydus Cadila made DNA Covid-19 vaccine is the only vaccine in the country to receive emergency use approval for adults and children above 12 years.

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