Serum allowed to produce Russian Sputnik V vaccine

New Delhi: The Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) has given permission to the Serum Institute of India (SII) for the production of Sputnik V vaccine. Doses of the Sputnik vaccine will be tested after production. The company had applied for a test license. Which has been accepted, 'said a government official familiar with the matter on condition of anonymity.

Test licenses are issued for the study, testing or analysis of drugs, according to the website of the Central Drugs Standards Control Organization (CDSCO). The Serum Institute has been given permission to produce Sputnik V for the purpose of analysis.

The company applied for a license on Wednesday and was granted production approval on Friday. 'He has only got preliminary permission so far. It will still take time for vaccine production to begin. It will take a few more months, "said an SII spokesperson.

Currently Dr. Sputnik V is being distributed in India by Reddy's Laboratories. For this, the pharma company has entered into an agreement with the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF). The Covid-19 vaccine, developed by Russia's Gamaleya Institute, is marketed worldwide by RDIF.

As part of the agreement, Dr. Reddy's will distribute 250 million doses before Sputnik V. RDIFA has also struck deals with six other local companies for the production of its own vaccines. Production of Sputnik in India is expected to start in July. "We are also in talks with other manufacturers to accelerate vaccine production in India," said Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the company.

According to current estimates, RDIF expects to produce 850 million doses a year in India without Sputnik. In addition to SII, the companies with which it has entered into manufacturing agreements include Hitro Biopharma, Gland Pharma, Stallis Biopharma, Panacea Biotech and Vircho Biotech. Panacea Biotech has also started production of Sputnik V in India.