New Delhi, March 27: Serum Institute of India (SII) CEO Adar Poonawalla on Saturday said clinical trials of COVID-19 vaccine Covovax have begun in India and the company hopes to launch it by September this year.

In August 2020, American vaccine company Novavax, Inc had announced a licence agreement with SII for the development and commercialisation of NVX-CoV2373, its COVID-19 vaccine candidate, in low and middle-income countries and India. WHO Warns Against Sales of Counterfeit COVID-19 Vaccines on The Dark Web, Urges People to Stick to Government-Run Vaccination Programs.

"Covovax trials finally begin in India; the vaccine is made through a partnership with @Novavax and @SerumInstIndia. It has been tested against African and UK variants of #COVID19 and has an overall efficacy of 89%. Hope to launch by September 2021!,"  Poonawalla said in a tweet.