Indian Government Authorizes Use Of Russia's Sputnik V COVID-19 Vaccine - Health Ministry

Umer Jamshaid Published April 12, 2021 | 04:25 PM

The Indian government's expert panel on Monday authorized the emergency use of Russia's Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine, the Indian Ministry of Health told Sputnik, adding that the immunization would be rolled out by Dr. Reddy's Laboratories pharmaceutical company

NEW DELHI (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 12th April, 2021) The Indian government's expert panel on Monday authorized the emergency use of Russia's Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine, the Indian Ministry of Health told Sputnik, adding that the immunization would be rolled out by Dr. Reddy's Laboratories pharmaceutical company.

"Subject Expert Committee approved Sputnik V vaccine and it will be rolled out by Dr. Reddy's," the ministry said.

Sputnik V has become the third vaccine to be approved in India, alongside home-grown Covaxin and Indian-produced AstraZeneca vaccine � Covieshield.

The talks about approving the Russian vaccine came in the wake of an April 4 meeting chaired by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi that reviewed the current COVID-19 situation and the ongoing vaccination program amid the surge in cases.

The country's drug regulator began reviewing Sputnik V in late February.

Before reaching a decision, its experts have requested information on the vaccine's safety and efficacy from Indian pharmaceutical giant Dr. Reddy's Laboratories. On April 1, the experts additionally asked the company to provide data on the vaccine's stability and storage conditions.

Expecting the trial results and the upcoming approval, the Russian Direct Investment Fund, which promotes Sputnik V, inked production deals with five Indian manufacturers. Under the deal with Hetero Biopharma, the company is set to manufacture over 100 million doses of vaccine annually, with Gland Pharma � up to 252 million doses, with Stelis Biopharma and Virchow Biotech � up to 200 million doses each, and with Panacea Biotec � up to 100 million doses.

According to phase 3 trial results published in The Lancet medical journal, the vaccine has 91.6 percent efficacy against symptomatic COVID-19.