One of the leading vaccine makers in the country Serum Institute of India said it will be starting trials of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca by the end of August and launch the vaccine by June next year if all goes well.<br />''<br />''The Pune-based company's Chief executive Adar Poonawalla while speaking to a private news channel in Mumbai on Tuesday said the Oxford University has tied up with Serum Institute of India to manufacture and supply the vaccine to India and over 60 other countries having a combined population of 3 billion.<br />''<br />''As a part of the special permission, the company will manufacture up to 70 million doses of the vaccine per month up to October, and plans to take it up to 100 million per month by December, so that it is ready to hit the market once the final approvals are in place.<br />''<br />''Poonawala said the company is taking a high financial risk by putting 200 million US Dollars for manufacturing nearly 300 million doses before the final nod to launch the vaccine in the market, which is expected at best by the end of the year. He further said it is extremely likely that the COVID-19 vaccine would require two or more doses, like in the case of antidotes for measles and other diseases.<br />''<br />''The vaccine under development will be injected into 4-5,000 volunteers in Pune and Mumbai, which have high rates of coronavirus infections, as part of the crucial phase three of the trial which will determine if the antidote can be introduced in the market or not. <br />