New Delhi: Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine has finally been rolled out in India, thus becoming the first foreign and third COVID-19 vaccine to be launched in the country. The vaccine that landed in India on 1st May, 2021, received regulatory clearance from the Central Drugs Laboratory, Kasauli, on 13th May, 2021.
As part of a limited pilot, the soft launch of the vaccine has commenced and the first dose of the vaccine was administered in Hyderabad today on 14th May, 2021.
Further consignments of imported doses are expected over the upcoming months. Subsequently, the supply of the Sputnik V vaccine will commence from Indian manufacturing partners. The imported doses of the vaccine are presently priced at an MRP of Rs 948 + 5% GST (Rs 995) per dose, with the possibility of a lower price point when local supply begins. The Company is working closely with its six manufacturing partners in India to fulfill regulatory requirements to ensure smooth and timely supply.
Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories will work closely with stakeholders in the Government and private sector in India to ensure the widest possible reach of the Sputnik V vaccine as part of the national inoculation effort. This is a reaffirmation of the Company’s commitment to explore every avenue in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic in India.
G V Prasad, Co-Chairman and Managing Director, said: “With the rising cases in India, vaccination is our most effective tool in our battle against COVID-19. Contributing to the vaccination drive in India is our biggest priority right now to help Indians be healthy and safe.”
Sputnik V was approved for use in India on April 12, 2021 and granted an emergency use authorization. India is the leading production hub for Sputnik V. RDIF has reached agreements with the leading pharmaceutical companies in the country (Gland Pharma, Hetero Biopharma, Panacea Biotec, Stelis Biopharma, Virchow Biotech) aimed at production of more than 850 million doses per year.
To date Sputnik V is registered in 65 countries with total population of over 3.2 billion people. Post-vaccination studies in a number of countries demonstrate that Sputnik V is the safest and most effective vaccine against coronavirus. Sputnik V ranks second among coronavirus vaccines globally in terms of the number of approvals issued by government regulators.
As per Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, “Sputnik V is the first foreign-made vaccine used in India. RDIF stands ready to support our partners in India to launch a full-scale vaccination with Sputnik V as soon as possible. The safe and effective Russian vaccine, which to date is authorized in 65 countries, will make an important contribution in upscaling the vaccination in India and bringing down the number of cases.”
Facts about Sputnik V:
-
Efficacy of Sputnik V is 97.6% based on the analysis of data on the coronavirus infection rate among those in Russia vaccinated with both components of Sputnik V from December 5, 2020 to March 31, 2021;
-
The Sputnik V vaccine is based on a proven and well-studied platform of human adenoviral vectors, which cause the common cold and have been around for thousands of years.
-
Sputnik V uses two different vectors for the two shots in a course of vaccination, providing immunity with a longer duration than vaccines using the same delivery mechanism for both shots.
-
The storage temperature of Sputnik V at +2+8 C means it can be stored in a conventional refrigerator without any need to invest in additional cold-chain infrastructure.
