British drugmaker AstraZeneca Plc could resume trials for its experimental coronavirus vaccine next week, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday, citing people associated with the trials.
The London-listed firm had to pause global trials of its potential vaccine for Covid-19 after an unexplained illness in a participant, which sent its shares lower as the move was seen as dimming prospects for an early rollout, reports Reuters.
AstraZeneca did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
Indian drug firm issued notice
The central drug regulator of India has issued notice to Serum Institute of India (SII) for not informing it about AstraZeneca pausing the clinical trials of the Oxford vaccine candidate for Covid-19 in other countries and also for not submitting casualty analysis of the "reported serious adverse events."
The notice was issued following reports that human trials of the Covid-19 vaccine candidate being developed by the University of Oxford have been put on hold after a British participant had an adverse reaction to it, reports NDTV.
The Drugs Controller General of India, Dr VG Somani, asked SII as to why the permission granted for conducting phase II and III clinical trials of the vaccine candidate in the country should not be suspended till patient safety is established.
Beximco Pharmaceuticals Ltd and Serum Institute of India Pvt Ltd (SII), the largest manufacturer of vaccines in the world, have joined forces for the development of the Covid-19 vaccine.