Covishield has been developed by SII using the 'master seed' of the AZ1222 vaccine , better known as the 'Oxford vaccine' developed by Oxford University scientists in collaboration with pharmaceutical giants AstraZeneca. for which the Bangladesh government signed a deal with SII to purchase 30 million doses earlier this month. It is currently undergoing a late-stage trial on 1600 participants in India.

In a statement to NDTV on Sunday evening, the Serum Institute said that while it sympathised with the volunteer's medical condition there was "absolutely no correlation with the vaccine trial and the medical condition of the volunteer".

"The allegations in the notice are malicious and misconceived. While the Serum Institute of India is sympathetic with the volunteer's medical condition, there is absolutely no correlation with the vaccine trial and the medical condition of the volunteer. The volunteer is falsely laying the blame for his medical problems on the COVID vaccine trial," the statement said.

"The claim is malicious because the volunteer was specifically informed by the medical team that the complications he suffered were independent of the vaccine trial he underwent. In spite of specifically being made aware of the same, he still chose to go public and malign the reputation of the company," the statement added.

The Serum Institute said it would seek damages in excess of ₹ 100 crore and would continue to defend itself from all such malicious claims.

Earlier a 40-year-old Chennai man, who was a volunteer for the third phase of the Covid vaccine trial conducted by the Serum Institute, claimed ₹ 5 crore as compensation for "a serious adverse event after being administered the under-trial vaccine".

He was administered the dose at Chennai's Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research (SRIHER) on October 1.

According to his legal notice, which was filed November 21, ten days later he began experiencing "severe headaches", "total behavioural change" and "irritation towards light and sound". Subsequently, the notice claims, he could not recognise or speak to anyone.

On October 26 he was discharged from hospital after suffering from "Acute Encephalopathy" that, the notice claims, was "an extreme side effect of the test vaccine.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh government on November 5, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Serum Institute of India Pvt Limited and Beximco Pharmaceuticals Ltd (BPL) to get three crore doses of SARS-Cov-2 AZD 1222 (Oxford/Astrazeneca Vaccine).

As per the MoU, Serum institute will provide SARS-Cov-2 AZD 1222 (Oxford/Astrazeneca Vaccine) to Beximco Pharmaceuticals Ltd (BPL).

The Health Minister said, “Once the vaccine is developed, the Serum Institute will provide three crore doses of vaccine in the first phase, and BPL will bring it to Bangladesh.”

“We would be able to provide the vaccine to 1.5 crore people once it’s available in Bangladesh as two shots of vaccine is needed for one person,” he said.

The process to bring Oxford/Astrazeneca Vaccine will start in January next, said Zahid adding that a decision was taken in principle that Serum Institute will provide the vaccine at the same price they would procure.

The ministry has adequate funds for procuring vaccines and more will be sought from the Finance Ministry, if necessary, he said.

“Everyone won’t get the vaccine at a time as it’ll be distributed in groups. The country has all the preparations to fight the second wave of Covid-19,” Zahid Maleque said.

Also read: Covid-19 2nd wave to be tackled jointly with private hospitals: Minister