Serum Institute of India to manufacture Sputnik V starting September
RDIF also released in a statement that the importing process has been cleared by the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) and the cultivation has already commenced.
The Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SSI) and Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) have come together and joined hands to start manufacturing the Stupnik V vaccine from September in India.
The transfers have already started with SII receiving cell and vector samples from the Gamaleya Center. RDIF also released in a statement that the importing process has been cleared by the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) and the cultivation has already commenced.
RDIF had earlier reached agreements with a number of pharmaceutical companies in India (Gland Pharma, Hetero Biopharma, Panacea Biotec NSE -1.23 %, Stelis Biopharma, Virchow Biotech, and Morepen) to produce Sputnik V. The Russian sovereign wealth fund has said that it plans for more than 300 million doses of the vaccine to be produced per year in India, reports India Times.
"I am delighted to partner with RDIF to manufacture the Sputnik vaccine. We hope to make millions of doses in the coming months with trial batches starting in the month of September. With high efficacy and a good safety profile, it is critical that the Sputnik vaccine is accessible in full measure for people across India and the world. Given the uncertainty of the virus, it is important for international institutes, and governments to collaborate and further bolster our fight against the pandemic," SII's CEO Adar Poonawalla said in a statement.