Russia’s SputnikV Vaccine Production Launched In India

The production of Russia’s COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V has begun in India and the developers of the vaccine and manufacturers, Panacea Biotec announced on Monday that full-scale production of the doses will commence very soon in India.

The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) has collaborated with Indian pharmaceutical firms such as Gland Pharma, Hetero Biopharma, Panacea Biotec, Stelis Biopharma and Virchow Biotech to manufacture more than 850 million doses a year.

India’s drug controller has granted approval to Sputnik V for emergency use. “The first batch produced at Panacea Biotec’s facilities at Baddi will be shipped to the Gamaleya Center [in Russia] for quality control. Full-scale production of the vaccine is due to start this summer. Company’s facilities comply with GMP [good manufacturing practice] standards and are prequalified by WHO,” RDIF said in a statement.

Back in April, India registered Sputnik V under the emergency use authorisation procedure. The first batch of the vaccine will be shipped to Gamaleya, the Moscow institute which developed the vaccine, for quality controls, RDIF said in a statement.

Indian envoy to Russia DB Venkatesh Varma said that Sputnik V’s production in India will begin in August this year and 850 million doses will be produced by about September-October. Currently, we have COVISHIELD and COVAXIN, allowed for use in India and Sputnik V has joined the club.