Pune: The Serum Institute of India (SII) is working on four more vaccines against the COVID-19, Suresh Jadhav, Executive Director Serum Institute of India Ltd (SII) said.

During a webinar he informed that the firm has been working on five vaccines against the novel coronavirus, including the Covishield which got approval for emergency use roll-out. He said, "For one (vaccine) we have received emergency approval, three others are in different stages of clinical studies while one is in the pre-clinical stage of the trial.”

One of the world's largest vaccine manufacturers has partnered with Novavax Inc to manufacture its potential vaccine for novel coronavirus for India and other countries. Under an agreement with the US drug developer, the Serum Institute will develop 200 crore doses of Novavax's vaccine candidate annually.

The SII will also manufacture the antigen component of the vaccine. The SII has also partnered with the US-based Codagenix to manufacture and supply its coronavirus vaccine.

The firm's first Covid vaccine is developed from the masterseed of AstraZeneca/Oxford University's vaccine against the disease.

Meanwhile, on the first day of the world’s biggest COVID-19 vaccine drive, Serum Institute of India CEO Adar Poonawalla took a ab of the Covishield vaccine. Sharing the video on his Twitter handle, he wrote, “I wish India & Sri @narendramodi ji great success in launching the world’s largest COVID vaccination roll-out. It brings me great pride that #COVISHIELD is part of this historic effort & to endorse it’s safety & efficacy, I join our health workers in taking the vaccine myself.”

On other side, Brazil has decided to send a plane to fetch two million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine from Serum Institute in Pune.

(With inputs from IANS)