Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories has announced to distribute 100 million doses (10 Crore) of Russia’s Covid-19 vaccine Sputnik- V in India after completion of final-stage Human trails and receiving regulatory clearance.
Dr. Reddy’s and Russia’s Sovereign Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) have signed an agreement for the same. According to the RDIF timeline, the Vaccine will be available by this year’s end.
Depending on the phase 3 trial success, Sputnik-V will lead the vaccine production race by replacing the Serum Institute of India’s vaccine ‘Covishield’ for India.
As decided by the government, health care, frontline workers, workers within occupations vulnerable to Covid-19 exposure, and the older population fall in the priority to receive the first shot.
Yet again, it all depends on the clinical trial success and India’s drug regulatory authorities to approve the safety of the Sputnik-V vaccine.
Dr. Reddy’s is soon expected to take its request to the Indian regulators to start the phase 3 trials at the earliest, according to the RDIF. But, the questions that how well will this vaccine perform will depend on the phase 3 trial results, the protocol Dr. Reddy’s follow, and post-registration trial data in Russia.