Indian Pharma Company Dr. Reddy's, "Russian Sputnik V Vaccine to be Produced in India from March"

"Over 90% Effectiveness in Seniors Aged 60 and Above"
Powder-Form Vaccine Released Alongside Liquid... Easier Transportation

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Indian pharmaceutical company Dr. Reddy's announced that it will begin full-scale production of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine at its domestic factory as early as March, after receiving approval for use from health authorities. Dr. Reddy's is conducting clinical trials of the Sputnik V vaccine in collaboration with Russia and emphasized that the vaccine shows over 90% efficacy even in the elderly population.

According to Russian TASS news agency on the 3rd (local time), Dr. Dipak Sapra, head of Dr. Reddy's research institute, stated in an interview with local news channel NDTV News, "Production of the Sputnik V vaccine will begin in India from March or April this year," adding, "We expect to receive approval for use from Indian health authorities by March, and previous clinical trials have shown very good results."

Dr. Reddy's is conducting Phase 3 clinical trials on 20,000 subjects in India together with the Russian sovereign wealth fund 'Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF)', which supported the development of Sputnik V. RDIF expects more than 300 million doses of the Sputnik V vaccine to be produced in India this year, with over 100 million doses to be manufactured by the Indian company Hetero Biopharma.

Dr. Sapra explained, "The vaccine demonstrated a high immune efficacy of 91.8% even in the elderly aged 60 and above, and its excellent safety has also been proven," adding, "The government and private sector are currently in close consultation to increase vaccine accessibility and reduce prices." He further noted, "The vaccine will be available in both liquid and powder forms." It is presumed that the powder form is being prepared to suit India's environment, where high temperatures and difficulties in maintaining the cold chain are challenges.

Meanwhile, COVID-19 vaccinations began in India on the 16th of last month, with the AstraZeneca vaccine and the vaccine from local company Bharat Biotech having received approval for use. If approval for the Sputnik V vaccine is also granted, vaccination efforts are expected to gain further momentum. Currently, Indian health authorities are prioritizing vaccinations for approximately 10 million healthcare workers.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.