RDIF, Panacea Biotec partner to produce Sputnik V in India

Russia's sovereign wealth fund RDIF (Russian Direct Investment Fund) and homegrown pharma company Panacea Biotec have partnered to launch the Russian Sputnik V vaccine in India. The RDIF has already tied up with Dr Reddy's to produce the vaccine in India. Both have agreed to produce 100 million doses per year of Sputnik V.

The first batch produced at Panacea Biotec's facilities at Baddi will be shipped to the Gamaleya Centre for quality control. Full-scale production of the vaccine is due to start soon, a statement said, adding the company's facilities comply with GMP standards and are prequalified by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Sputnik V vaccine got the emergency use authorisation in the country on April 12, 2021. The vaccine was rolled out for the masses on May 14.

Apart from India, Sputnik V has been registered in 65 countries, and the vaccine has been proved to be 97.6 per cent effective against coronavirus infection during clinical trials.

The vaccine is based on a proven and well-studied platform of human adenoviral vectors and uses two different vectors for the two shots in a course of vaccination, providing immunity with a longer duration than vaccines using the same delivery mechanism for both shots.

Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, said: "Production of Sputnik V supports efforts of India's authorities to leave behind the acute phase of coronavirus as soon as possible while the vaccine will also be exported at a later stage to help prevent the spread of the virus in other countries around the world."

Panacea Biotec Dr Rajesh Jain said together with RDIF, the company hopes to help "bring a sense of normalcy back to people across the country and around the world."

Earlier on May 14, Dr Reddy's Laboratories had soft-launched the Sputnik V vaccine in India, pricing it at Rs 948 per dose with an additional five per cent GST. So far, India has imported the Sputnik V vaccine doses in two batches.

Also read: India to begin Sputnik V production in August; to produce 850 mn doses