Made In India Sputnik V Covid Vaccines Will Be Available From September: Dr Reddy’s

The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), which launched the Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine, has a tie up with Dr Reddy’s Laboratories to sell the vaccines in India

Outlook Web Bureau

Updated on: 27 July 2021 8:47 pm

Nationally manufactured Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine will be available in India from September-October, a senior official at Dr Reddy's Laboratories Ltd said on Tuesday.

The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), which launched the Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine, has a tie up with Dr Reddy’s Laboratories to sell the first 125 million people doses (250 million vials) of COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V in India.

“Local manufacturers are currently in the process of Technology absorption and scale up. And we expect and from the October-September timeframe we are likely to have locally manufactured sputnik available," M V Ramana, CEO of Branded Markets (India and Emerging Markets), Dr Reddy’s said. He further said that the company is in discussions with RDIF for ramping up supplies.

This development comes in the backdrop of Dr Reddy’s soft launching the Sputnik V vaccine in over 50 cities and towns across India earlier this month. Prior to that, the vaccine was only available in Hyderabad, ever since it was launched there on May 14. The other cities, where the vaccine has now been soft launched include Bengaluru, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai.

According to Ramana, the trials of Sputnik V in adolescents have commenced in Russia and they are expected to be completed by October.

On the arrival of more Sputnik V stock from RDIF, Ramana said "What we wait for now is the balance of the second dose and we are in discussions with RDIF. We do expect to hear back from them by the end of July. The indications are that in the month of August we should start seeing a bit of floor of the imported product."

Meanwhile, Dr Reddy's, in a press release, said SVAAS Wellness Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the drug maker, tied up with ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company Limited for a pilot launch of a first-of-its-kind cashless outpatient offering in India.

The partnership marks the launch of Dr Reddy’s digital health solution 'SVAAS' and demonstrates ICICI Lombards deeper foray into the wellness space.

RDIF has also tied up with six Indian drug makers to manufacture Sputnik V.

(With PTI inputs)