The Serum Institute of India (SII), Pune, on Tuesday, July 13, announced that it would manufacture Russia’s Sputnik V over the next two months.
The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), Russia’s sovereign wealth fund that markets the vaccine globally, said that they intend to produce over 300 million doses in India per year. With this India’s annual production capacity of this vaccine will be nearly 1.2 billion doses a year.
According to the reports, technology transfer has already started and the first batch of vaccines is expected in September.
This development came as India is trying to ramp up its vaccination efforts. The target is to inoculate all the adult population by December.
Also Read: Sputnik V vaccination kickstarted at Terna Specialty Hospital in Navi Mumbai
RDIF is delighted to cooperate with Serum Institute of India, the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer, it said in a statement. This strategic partnership is a major step to substantially increase our production capabilities demonstrating a perfect example of joining forces and expertise to save lives both in India and around the world.
#RDIF and @SerumInstIndia, the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer by volume, today announced cooperation to produce the Russian @sputnikvaccine against coronavirus.
— RDIF (@rdif_press) July 13, 2021
Interview of Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of RDIF: https://t.co/5Y1mVF5RcC
As part of the technical transfer process, SII has already received cell and vector samples from the Gamaleya Center. With their import approved by the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI), the cultivation process has begun, RDIF added.
SII is also currently manufacturing Covishield, the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine, Covovax that is the local name for the Novavax Covid-19 vaccine and also conducting trials of Codagenix in the UK.
Also Read: Sputnik will soon be offered at govt-run Vaccination Centres
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