India.com, citing India’s Ambassador to Russia, says Russian COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V’s production in India is likely to begin by August.
Ambassador Bala Venkatesh Varma reportedly asserted on Saturday May 23 that three million doses of the vaccine will be supplied in bulk by May-end and the number is expected to increase to five million by June. As per the present plan, more than 850 million doses of the Sputnik V will be produced in India, India’ envoy to Russia was quoted as saying.
Meanwhile, Dr Reddy's Laboratories notes that the pricing of the Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine, currently capped at Rs 995 per dose, is expected to come down once local manufacturing of the vaccine begins.
Asian News International (ANI) quoted the company spokesperson as saying: "The current MRP of Rs. 948 + 5 per cent GST is for the imported doses. We are not able to provide a specific number but as indicated, once local manufacturing of Sputnik V begins, we do expect the possibility of a lower price point.”
The spokesperson also informed that the company was currently engaged in discussions to bring the single-dose vaccine Sputnik Light to India.
Last week, Dr Reddy's reportedly commenced a limited pilot soft launch of the Sputnik V vaccine in Hyderabad, which was expected to ramp up over the next few weeks and extend to other cities as well.
The supply of the Sputnik V vaccine will commence from Indian manufacturing partners and further consignments of doses are expected over the next few months, the spokesperson said.
The Sputnik V vaccine has been approved in over 60 countries around the world, covering a population of over three billion people. It has reported an efficacy rate of 91.6 per cent in phase III trials.
Dr Reddy's Laboratories reportedly has a contract of 250 million vaccine units with the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF).
According to the company, the availability of the vaccines will ramp up in the next quarter for the Made in India product. Around 60 to 70 per cent of the vaccines will be made in India and most of it will be used in the country itself.
Other sites of production of the Sputnik V vaccines are – Hetero Biologics, Virchow Biotech, Panacea Biotec NSE 3.43 %, Gland Pharma, Stelis Biopharma and Shilpa Medicare NSE -1.42 %.
Dr Reddy's Laboratories is responsible for the distribution and marketing of the vaccine around the country and will also monitor the regulatory, safety and pharmaco-vigilance aspects of the vaccine in India.
India has already received two consignments of vaccines from Russia. Inoculations with Sputnik V in Hyderabad started on May 14 following the arrival of the first batch of the vaccine on May 1.
Sputnik V was approved for use in India on April 12 and granted emergency use authorization. India is the leading production hub for Sputnik V.
According to mint-com, Sputnik V is being transported to India in three phases — direct exports, fill and finish mode and transfer of technology to Indian companies for full production.
