Dr Reddy's Says Received Doses of Sputnik V Components for Manufacturing in India

Hyderabad-based pharmaceutical Dr Reddy’s on Monday said that it has received doses of components of the Russian vaccine Sputnik V and India can expect the locally manufactured doses from September. The pharma company said it is working with the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) to ramp up supplies.

“We’ve received 31.5 lakh doses of component 1 and 4.5 lakh doses of component 2 of Sputnik V vaccine in India. We are working closely with RDIF to ramp up supplies. We’re also working closely with our partners in India for manufacturing readiness,” Dr Reddy’s Laboratories spokesperson told news agency ANI.

“We expect that locally manufactured doses are likely to be available from the September-October period,” the spokesperson further said.

M V Ramana, CEO of Branded Markets (India and Emerging Markets), Dr Reddys, had earlier, said due to the sudden spike of COVID-19 cases in Russia, the arrival of Sputnik V doses are getting delayed and the situation may ease by August end.

“The local manufacturers are currently in the process of Technology absorption and scale up. And we expect and from the October-September timeframe we are likely to have locally manufactured sputnik available,” Ramana told reporters.

Dr Reddy’s, which has tied up with RDIF for Sputnik V in India, soft launched the vaccine in India in May 2021 after receiving Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) in April 2021. Ramana said the company is in discussions with RDIF for ramping up supplies.

RDIF has tied up with six Indian drug makers to manufacture Sputnik V. Dr Reddy’s is in a pact with Russian Direct Investment Fund to sell the first 125 million people doses (250 million vials) of COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V in India.

The official said the vaccine was launched in 80 cities and over 2.5 lakh people have been administered the jab. Replying to a query, he said the trials of Sputnik V in adolescents have commenced in Russia and they are expected to be completed by October.

Meanwhile, Dr Reddy’s, in a press release, said SVAAS Wellness Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the drug maker, tied up with ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company Limited for a pilot launch of a first-of-its-kind cashless outpatient offering in India. The partnership marks the launch of Dr Reddys digital health solution ‘SVAAS’ and demonstrates ICICI Lombards deeper foray into the wellness space.

(With PTI inputs)

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