India to make 85 crore Sputnik doses annually, can vaccinate 42 crore people
1 min read 13 Apr 2021, 10:25 AM ISTThe Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) has registered the vaccine under the emergency use authorisation procedure
PremiumThe Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) has said that India has become the 60th country to approve the use of Sputnik V against coronavirus. RDIF further added that more than 850 million doses of the vaccine are going to be produced in the country annually.
Sputnik V: Positive Phase III clinical trials
The Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) has registered the vaccine under the emergency use authorisation procedure. This is based on results of clinical trials in Russia as well as positive data of additional Phase III local clinical trials in India conducted in partnership with Dr Reddy’s Laboratories.
Sputnik V: For 40% of the global population
The vaccine has been approved for use in countries with a total population of 3 billion people or about 40 per cent of the global population, and India has become the 60th country to approve Sputnik V, RDIF, Russia's sovereign wealth fund, said in a statement.
India is also the most populated country to register the vaccine and also the leading production hub for Sputnik V, it added.
Strategic partner for production of Sputnik V
Noting that India is a vaccine-manufacturing hub and a strategic partner for production of Sputnik V, he said RDIF has created partnerships with a number of India's leading pharmaceutical companies for production of Sputnik V which will provide for both vaccination of the population in India and global distribution of the vaccine.
"Over 850 million doses of Sputnik V are going to be produced in India annually sufficient to vaccinate more than 425 million people around the world," he said.
According to the release, RDIF has agreements with India's Gland Pharma, Hetero Biopharma, Panacea Biotec, Stelis Biopharma and Virchow Biotech aimed at production of more than 850 million doses per year.
Third vaccine against covid
Sputnik will be the third vaccine to be used in India against coronavirus. In January, DCGI had given the emergency use authorisation for two COVID-19 vaccines -- Covaxin of Bharat Biotech and Covishield of Oxford-AstraZeneca manufactured by Serum Institute of India in Pune.
As per RDIF, Sputnik V has a number of key advantages, including that there are no strong allergies caused by Sputnik V.
