India to receive 50 million doses of Sputnik V by May end

The Indian government, in a sudden u-turn, to stem the second wave of COVID-19 infections authorized the emergency use of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine. India is expected to receive 50 million jabs of the vaccine by the end of May.

An official had said that the SEC recommended emergency use authorization for the Russian vaccine and the DCGI will take a look at Dr Reddy’s application. The SEC’s recommendation of the Sputnik vaccine is based on phase 2 and 3 bridging study of 1,600 participants by Dr Reddy’s Laboratories in India.

Deepak Sapru, Dr Reddy’s Laboratories (DRL) CEO, API and services, said additional supplies of the vaccine will come after June as Sputnik V’s local manufacturing partners begin production and the logistical issue of storing the vaccine at 2 degrees Celsius, instead of the current -18 degree centigrade storage temperature is sorted out.

Dr Reddy’s Laboratories had tied up with the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), in 2020, and as such has exclusive marketing and distribution rights for the first 250 million doses of Sputnik V vaccines in India. Moreover, RDIF has tied up with local companies to make 850 million doses in India annually, and production is expected to be ramped up in the next few months. While India will be a major manufacturing hub of Sputnik V vaccines, it is not clear how much of this will be sold in India and how much will be imported.

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Sapru said the price at which the vaccine will be procured by the Indian government is still under negotiation. “We are negotiating with the company on the pricing.” Sapru said the company has lined up with the cold chain and made arrangements for last-mile delivery. “It is also generating additional data on the 2-8 degrees temperature range. This will be made available in a few months and after that the necessary amendment request will be made to the regulator,” he said.