Single-dose Sputnik Light set for roll out in September

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India’s arsenal of vaccines in the fight against Covid-19 could soon get a boost with the addition of a locally manufactured single-dose Sputnik Light vaccine next month. Delhi-based pharmaceutical major Panacea Biotec, which had earlier collaborated with the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) has sought Emergency-Use Authorisation (EUA) of the Sputnik Light, according to a report in The Times of India.

The report added that Panacea Biotec has already submitted the dossier to the Drugs Controller General of India, the drugs regulator for the EUA. The vaccine is expected to cost approximately Rs 750 per vial and will be available in limited quantities initially.

As of now, two-dose Sputnik V is used for vaccination in India. The jabs are being supplied by Hyderabad-based Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, RDIF’s sole distribution partner in India.

Production ramped-up

Dr Reddy’s is ramping up supplies in order to combat issues of a supply shortage of Sputnik V, as per the media report. Owing to the imports from Russia being affected in June the complete rollout of the vaccine was put on hold and hence it is lagging now. As of now, close to five lakh doses of Sputnik V’s component vaccine has been imported and the rollout is expected soon.

“We are also working closely with our partners in India for manufacturing readiness. We expect that locally manufactured doses are likely to be available from the September-October period,’’ said a spokesperson of Dr Reddy’s.

Sputnik Light, developed by Gamaleya Institute and backed by RDIF, received the EUA in Russia in May. As per RDIF, the vaccine has close to an 80% efficacy rate and this was concluded after analysing data taken from trials.

Successful quality checks

Panacea Biotec announced last month that it had received the manufacturing license to produce Sputnik V at its plant in Himachal Pradesh’s Baddi. The company is expected to annually produce 100 million doses and they will be distributed by Dr Reddy’s. So far, the vaccines made in Baddi have successfully passed the quality checks in Russia’s Gamaleya Center and Central Drug Laboratory situated in Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh. In addition to this, a panel of experts under the Ministry of Health has given the nod to Dr Reddy’s to submit the safety data from Russia for the approval of the vaccine in India.