Bharat Biotech inks pact with Precisa Med to supply Covaxin to Brazil
2 min read . Updated: 12 Jan 2021, 06:57 PM IST
Premium- The supplies of Covaxin will be prioritized for public market, through direct procurement by Brazil government
- The supplies of Covaxin to private market would be based upon receipt of market authorization from Brazilian regulatory authority ANVISA
Bharat Biotech on Tuesday announced that it has signed an agreement with Precisa Medicamentos for the supply of its indigenously manufactured Covid-19 vaccine 'Covaxin' to Brazil.
The supplies of Covaxin will be prioritized for public market, through direct procurement by Brazil government, the company said in a statement.
Moreover, the supplies of Covaxin to private market would be based upon receipt of market authorization from Brazilian regulatory authority ANVISA, it added.
According to a press release by the Hyderabad-based pharma company, the team met Bharat Biotech chief Dr Krishna Ella on January 7 and January 8 at its facility in Hyderabad's Genome Valley. Ambassador of Brazil to India, André Aranha Corrêa do Lago also joined the discussion virtually.
"It is understood between both parties that supplies of COVAXIN (are) to be prioritised for the public market, through a direct procurement by the government of Brazil," the Indian company said in a statement.
On the development, Precisa Medicamentos pharmaceutical Director Emanuela Medrades said: "We identified highly technological, scientific and sanitary control levels. There were also excellent outcomes in clinical trials, which will be published soon. Bharat Biotech has exceeded our expectations, demonstrating quality and safety at the level of the largest vaccine suppliers in the world."
Covaxin is being indigenously developed byBharatBiotechin collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) - National Institute of Virology (NIV).
The indigenous, inactivated vaccine is developed and manufactured inBharatBiotech's BSL-3 (Bio-Safety Level 3) bio-containment facility, the firm had earlier said.
Brazil has registered over 8 million cases of the virus since the pandemic began, while the official death toll has risen over 203,000, the world's second-deadliest coronavirus outbreak.
Brazil has signed agreements to receive other COVID-19 vaccines. Authorities there are facing growing pressure to speed up the vaccine rollout, which is lagging regional peers. Mexico, Chile and Argentina have already begun immunizations.
Meanwhile, on 3 January, India's drugs regulator had approved Oxford COVID-19 vaccine Covishield, manufactured by the Serum Institute, and indigenously developed Covaxin of Bharat Biotech for restricted emergency use in the country. The mega vaccination drive in India is slated to begin from 16 January 2021.
India is sourcing a total of 55 lakh doses from Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech's Covaxin vaccine.
-Out of these doses, Bharat Biotech has said that it will supply 16.5 lakh doses free of cost. "BBIL will provide 16.50 lakh doses of Covaxin free of cost to the Central govt as a special gesture," said Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan.
