Mandaviya holds meeting with Dr Reddy's Chairman on Sputnik V supply

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Thursday said he has held a meeting with Dr Reddy's Laboratories Chairman Satish Reddy regarding the production and supply of COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V.

Dr Reddy's, which has tied up with Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) for Sputnik V in India, soft launched the vaccine in India in May 2021, after receiving Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) in April 2021.

In September 2020, the company partnered with RDIF to conduct the clinical trials of Sputnik V and distribute the vaccine in India.

The Hyderabad-based drug major has already stated that the locally manufactured Sputnik V will be available from September-October period.

"Held a meeting with Dr Satish Reddy, Chairman of Dr Reddy's Lab. Had a discussion on the production of the Sputnik V #COVID19 vaccine and its supply," Mandaviya tweeted.

RDIF has tied up with six Indian drug makers, including Dr Reddy's, to manufacture Sputnik V.

Dr Reddy's is in a pact with RDIF to sell 250 million vials of Sputnik V in India.

The first consignment of imported doses of Sputnik V landed in India on May 1, and received regulatory clearance from the Central Drugs Laboratory, Kasauli, on May 13.

Sputnik V uses two different vectors for the two shots in a course of vaccination. Its efficacy was determined to be 91.6 per cent as per an article published in the medical journal Lancet.