The Central Drugs Laboratory cleared the first batch of Sputnik V doses that reached India earlier this month. Under the pilot, a soft launch has begun, and the first dose was administered in Hyderabad, Telangana.
Additional batches of the vaccine are scheduled to be imported in the coming months. Manufacturing partners in India will also supply the vaccine.
Dr. Reddy’s is working with its six manufacturing partners in the country to achieve regulatory requirements for timely supply.
In India, the vaccine is currently priced at $12.9 (Rs948) plus tax for one dose. This price is expected to decrease after local supply commences.
Dr. Reddy’s co-chairman and managing director G V Prasad said: “With the rising cases in India, vaccination is our most effective tool in our battle against Covid-19. Contributing to the vaccination drive in India is our biggest priority right now to help Indians be healthy and safe.”
The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) noted that the Sputnik V vaccine secured emergency use authorisation in India last month.
RDIF agreed to work with Gland Pharma, Hetero Biopharma, Panacea Biotec, Stelis Biopharma and Virchow Biotech in India to manufacture more than 850 million doses a year.
Russian Direct Investment Fund CEO Kirill Dmitriev said: “Sputnik V is the first foreign-made vaccine used in India. RDIF stands ready to support our partners in India to launch a full-scale vaccination with Sputnik V as soon as possible.”
In a separate development, Shenzhen Kangtai Biological Products has received emergency use approval for its Covid-19 vaccine in China. The vaccine is set to undergo a Phase III clinical trial.