Dharwad: Shilpa Biologicals Private Limited (SBPL) has entered into a three-year year agreement with Dr Reddy’s Laboratories Limited (DRL) for production and supply of the Sputnik V vaccine from its integrated biologics R&D cum manufacturing center at Dharwad, Karnataka.
The pharma company, which informed this in a regulatory filing, said the “targeted production of the dual vector Sputnik V for the first 12 months is 50 million doses (50 million of Component 1 and 50 million of component 2), from the date of start of commercial production”.
Shilpa Biologicals will be responsible for manufacturing the vaccine, as per the agreement while Dr Reddy’s will look after the distribution and marketing of the vaccine in its marketing territories.
Both companies are also exploring the option to manufacture Sputnik Light.
Earlier on Thursday, Niti Aayog Member (Health) Dr Vinod Kumar Paul assured availability of vaccines for all and said around 216 crore vaccine doses would be made become available between August and December.
READ: India Records 2.81 Lakh New Covid Cases, Lowest Rise After 26 Days; Death Toll Remains Over 4000
Paul also mentioned about availability of eight vaccines and the number of doses for each that are likely to be available in the country by December end.
The vaccination drive in the country kick-started on January 16 with Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin and Oxford-AstraZeneca’s Covishield.
Meanwhile, the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry informed that the daily new Covid-19 cases being registered in India are now less than three lakh after 26 days, adding 2,81,386 new cases were registered in the last 24 hours.
India’s total active caseload decreased to 35,16,997 on Monday. It now comprises 14.09% of the country’s total positive cases.
A net decline of 1,01,461 cases is recorded in the active caseload in the last 24 hours, the Health Ministry said, adding 10 states cumulatively account for 75.04% of India’s total active cases.