Exports of Covid-19 vaccines may start in 2 weeks: SII CEO Adar Poonawalla

Covid-19 vaccine exports can start in the next two weeks or so, Adar Poonawalla, chief executive of Serum Institute of India, has said. He clarified that the exports would happen only after local requirements are fully met.

Poonawalla also said that Serum Institute would start making the Novavax vaccine candidate in the country in “around two months from now." 

The vaccine manufacturer is making preparations and working on necessary regulatory protocols. Novavax vaccine is under trial in the US and there would be a bridging trial in India. 

On January 16, one of the world's largest vaccination drives kicked off in the country with two vaccine candidates — Covishield made by Serum Institute and Covaxin made by Bharat Biotech. For the first phase of the immunisation programme, the two firms are supplying 16.5 million doses of vaccines to the Centre. 

Another 49.5 million doses are likely to be supplied by the two players soon. No purchase agreement, however, has been signed for the same so far. 

SHIPPING OUT

• Exports to commence once local needs met
• Govt has procured 16.5 mn doses already
• To buy 45 mn Covishield doses, 4.5 mn Covaxin doses next

In the first lot, Serum Institute has supplied 11 million doses and according to sources, another 45 million doses would be taken by the government soon. Poonawalla has said that he would supply 100 million doses to the Indian government for Rs 200 per dose. 

Bharat Biotech, too, has supplied around 5.5 million doses so far, and another 4.5 million doses would be supplied when the government needs them. 

India is vaccinating 30 million healthcare and frontline workers initially and has a target to vaccinate around 300 million people (including senior citizens with comorbidities) by the next phase. 

The vaccines would thereafter be available in the private market. 

Therefore, for the first two phases, the Centre would need 60 million doses of the vaccine. 

Experts said India is in a comfortable position in terms of local supplies as Serum Institute has 80-90 million doses of Covishield ready. Exports, thus, can start in the next two weeks or so. 

Both Serum Institute and Bharat Biotech have overseas commitments — be it for Gavi-Covax or for countries like Brazil, and Bangladesh, among others. 

Zydus Cadila's DNA-plasmid vaccine ZyCoV-D and Sputnik-V developed by Gamaleya National Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology have also got approval to start phase-3 trials in the country. Dr Reddy's Laboratories said on Saturday that a 1,500 subject phase-3 trial would be conducted on Sputnik-V. Zydus Cadila, on the other hand, would be doing a 30,000 volunteer phase-3 efficacy trial in India. Results from these trials are expected around March, and the health ministry has already indicated that soon more emergency use authorisations may be granted once these candidates are ready. 

Therefore, by March, India is likely to have data on at least four vaccine candidates and the government can place purchase orders accordingly, experts said.