Sanofi SA and GlaxoSmithKline Plc have received approval from Indian authorities for a late-stage clinical trial of their protein-based Covid-19 vaccine candidate, according to the drugmakers.

Reuters reports that the Indian arm of the studies will enroll roughly 3,000 adults between the ages of 18 years and 55 years, according to India's clinical trial registry. The assessment is expected to run for a year and the first enrolment in India is shown to have been made on Tuesday.

"As the virus continues to evolve, we are anticipating what will be needed in the coming months and years, and accordingly, have adapted our vaccine development programme," Annapurna Das, Sanofi's India head, said in a statement.