Sputnik V production in India to begin from August, more than 850 million doses to be produced

The local production of Russian Covid-19 vaccine Sputnik V is likely to begin by August, said the country’s envoy to Russia Bala Venkatesh Varma on Saturday, May 22.

As per a report by india.com, Varma asserted 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.

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He further added that according to the present plan, more than 850 million doses of the Sputnik V will be produced in India.

“For Sputnik, 1,50,000 doses plus 60,000 doses have been already supplied to India. By May-end, about 3 million more doses will be supplied in bulk. Those will be filled in India. In June, the supply is expected to increase to 5 million, and production in India is expected to start in August,” said Varma while speaking to a group of reporters during his Saint Petersburg visit.

The Indian Ambassador to Russia informed that the production of Sputnik in India will be done in 3-phases.

First, supply from Russia- fully made- which has already started; second, RDIF will send to India in bulk. It will be ready for use, but it will have to be filled in various bottles in India; third, the Russian side will transfer the technology to Indian company and the Indian company will produce it fully in India. All these 3 put together will be about 850 million doses, he added.

Russia became the world’s first country to register a coronavirus vaccine, Sputnik V in August 2020. In September, Dr Reddy’s and RDIF entered into a partnership to conduct clinical trials of Sputnik V, which is developed by the Gamaleya National Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology.

The Indian drug regulator has given an approval to Dr Reddy’s Laboratories for restricted emergency use of Sputnik V. While RDIF has tied up with six Indian drug makers to manufacture Sputnik V.