OrganisationIN

Serum Institute of India

Pune-based vaccine maker, the world's largest by doses produced.

The Serum Institute of India made about 620,000 doses of Oxford's ChAdOx1 Bundibugyo Ebola vaccine within two weeks, and the first trial volunteer was dosed on 24 July 2026, the world's first Bundibugyo vaccine trial.

Last refreshed: 4 October 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic

Key Question

Is the Serum Institute's manufacturing scale the key to getting a Bundibugyo vaccine to DRC and Uganda quickly?

Timeline for Serum Institute of India

#14 27 Aug

Mentioned in: CEPI awards Minapharm US$16.5m for Ebola

Pandemics and Biosecurity

#7 8 Jun

Mentioned in: CEPI funds a fourth Ebola vaccine

Pandemics and Biosecurity

#6 1 Jun

Positioned to manufacture Oxford ChAdOx1 Bundibugyo vaccine candidate with $8.6m CEPI backing

Pandemics and Biosecurity: CEPI and GAVI commit $112m, no treatment yet

View full timeline →

Follow Pandemics and Biosecurity →

Background

The Serum Institute of India (SII) is the world's largest vaccine manufacturer by doses produced, based in Pune. Cyrus Poonawalla founded it in 1966 and remains chairman; his son Adar Poonawalla is chief executive. It makes more than 1.5 billion doses a year and supplies more than 165 countries. During COVID-19 it made the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine under the Covishield brand.

Its 2026 role in the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak repeats the Oxford partnership. CEPI funded Oxford's ChAdOx1 Bundibugyo candidate with SII as the manufacturer, and SII says it produced about 620,000 doses within two weeks.

The episode shows what SII sells: speed and volume. A vaccine that clears Phase 1 can move to field use from a stock already made, rather than waiting months for a plant to scale up. A Phase 1 trial tests safety only, so those doses still wait on proof that the vaccine protects.

Key Issues

Bundibugyo vaccine

SII made the doses before the data

On 1 June 2026 CEPI committed $8.6m to an Oxford ChAdOx1 vaccine against Bundibugyo ebolavirus, with the Serum Institute of India as manufacturer. It was one of three candidates in a $112m package from CEPI and Gavi.

SII said it made about 620,000 doses within two weeks and supplied 4,000 investigational doses to Oxford, which vaccinated its first volunteer on 24 July. By late August the SII-made candidate had been in Phase 1 since July, ahead of Moderna's mRNA candidate, which began human dosing on 3 August, and of Egypt's Minapharm, which won up to $16.5m from CEPI on 27 August but had not yet dosed anyone.

Common Questions

Is the Serum Institute of India the biggest vaccine maker in the world?

Yes. The Serum Institute produces more than 1.5 billion doses annually from its Pune facilities, making it the world's largest vaccine manufacturer by volume. It supplies vaccines to over 165 countries through WHO, UNICEF, and GAVI programmes.

What did the Serum Institute make during COVID-19?

The Serum Institute manufactured the AstraZeneca-Oxford ChAdOx1 vaccine under the brand name Covishield, producing the majority of doses distributed through the COVAX facility to lower-income countries.

Why is the Serum Institute involved in the Bundibugyo Ebola vaccine?

SII manufactures Oxford's ChAdOx1 Bundibugyo vaccine under an $8.6m CEPI programme. It made about 620,000 doses within two weeks, and Oxford dosed the first trial volunteer on 24 July 2026.Source: https://www.seruminstitute.com/first-volunteer-vaccinated-in-the-worlds-first-bundibugyo-ebolavirus-vaccine-trial.php

What is the ChAdOx1 vaccine platform?

ChAdOx1 (chimpanzee adenovirus Oxford 1) is a viral vector vaccine platform developed by the University of Oxford. It was used in the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine and is now being adapted for Bundibugyo ebolavirus with CEPI funding at the Serum Institute.

Who runs the Serum Institute of India?

Adar Poonawalla is chief executive of the Serum Institute of India. His father, Cyrus Poonawalla, founded the company in 1966 and is its chairman.Source: https://www.seruminstitute.com/first-volunteer-vaccinated-in-the-worlds-first-bundibugyo-ebolavirus-vaccine-trial.php

How many Bundibugyo vaccine doses has the Serum Institute made?

SII says it made about 620,000 doses of the ChAdOx1 Bundibugyo vaccine within two weeks and supplied 4,000 investigational doses to Oxford's trial.Source: https://www.seruminstitute.com/first-volunteer-vaccinated-in-the-worlds-first-bundibugyo-ebolavirus-vaccine-trial.php

Source Material

First volunteer vaccinated in the world's first Bundibugyo ebolavirus vaccine trial Serum Institute of India (Wikipedia)Serum Institute of India