Sputnik V vaccine expected to reach India by May end
Dr. Reddy's Laboratories, which has received approval from the Indian drug regulator for restricted emergency use of COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V, on Tuesday said it expects the first lot of stock from Russian Direct Investment Fund by May end. In September 2020, Dr. Reddys and RDIF had entered into a partnership to conduct clinical trials of Sputnik V. Here are more details.
Russian institute has rights to distribute 125mn doses in India
Sputnik V has been developed by the Gamaleya National Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology with the rights for distribution of the first 100 million doses in India. Later, it was enhanced to 125 million.
Over 50 million doses expected to be manufactured in India
"We are targeting to have the first batches imported by Q1, and are trying our best to have them by end of May," Dr. Reddy's spokesperson said in an email reply. RDIF CEO Kirill Dmitriev in a virtual press conference recently said he expected over 50 million doses of Sputnik V vaccine to be manufactured in India by this summer.
RDIF tied up with five drug companies for vaccine production
He had said RDIF has tied up with five drug companies for the vaccine and is looking at a couple of more firms for the possible production pacts. Once available, Sputnik V will be the third vaccine to be used in India against coronavirus.
Unable to confirm the first lot size: Dr. Reddy's official
In January, DCGI had given the emergency use authorization to two COVID-19 vaccines- COVAXIN of Bharat Biotech and Covishield of Oxford-AstraZeneca manufactured by Serum Institute of India in Pune. "We expect domestic manufacturing to ramp up from Q2. We are not able to confirm the first lot size at this time," Dr. Reddy's official further said.
Price of the vaccine yet to be decided
A senior official of Dr. Reddy's said the vaccine will be imported in a frozen condition from RDIF maintaining a temperature of -18 to -22 degree celsius. The price of the vaccine is yet to be decided. "Global price for the Sputnik V vaccine is $10 per dose. We are still discussing the price of the imported doses in India," the company said.
