Covid-19 pandemic: Sputnik V vaccine imports likely to improve from August

Trials on adolescents in Russia expected to end by October: DRL

Dr Reddy’s Laboratories (DRL) is expecting to hear from Russia on Sputnik V supplies by the end of this month while the company awaits the India-made vaccine by September.
 

Meanwhile, the trials on adolescents for Sputnik V are expected to end in Russia by October, DRL said.

Speaking to reporters from Hyderabad, the DRL top management indicated the third wave and rising cases in Russia had shot up demand for vaccines there.
 

“We expect to hear from the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) by the end of July (on supplies). By August the supplies of Sputnik V should be better,” said M V Ramana, chief executive officer (CEO), branded markets (India and emerging markets).

Demand for vaccination, on the other hand, has gone down in India by around 20 per cent, he added.

 

Around three million doses of the first dose component (which use vector Ad26) and around 300,000 second-dose components (which use a different vector, Ad5) have come from Russia.
 

DRL has said it is awaiting the remaining 2.7 million doses of the second-dose component so that it can start distributing the remaining first doses too.
 

The Gamaleya Research Institute made Sputnik V using two different human adenovirus vectors (Ad26 and Ad5) in its two doses. 

Deepak Sapra, CEO (API and pharmaceutical services), DRL, said by September-October, the firm expected supplies from the Indian sites as well. There are six contract manufacturers of Sputnik V in India.
 

Around 250,000 people have received Sputnik V doses in India, the company said.
 

DRL had launched a nationwide pilot on May 14, which has been scaled up to 80 cities now. 
 

DRL is the sole distributor of the first 250 million doses of the Sputnik V vaccine in India. 
 

The initial doses are expected to be imported from Russia to ensure a faster roll-out in India.