Covid Vaccine Update: Amid the shortage of vaccines in almost every state in the country, India has now launched production for the third vaccine which will help the government achieve the target to vaccinate everyone for Covid 19 By December 2021.
The production of the Russian vaccine Sputnik V has been commenced by the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), Russia’s sovereign wealth fund, and Panacea Biotec, one of the leading vaccine and pharmaceutical producers in India.
India's Panacea Biotec will now produce 100 million doses of Sputnik V every year, RDIF has said in a statement. Full-scale production is expected to begin this summer.
The first batch produced at Panacea Biotec’s facilities at Baddi will be shipped to the Gamaleya Center for quality control. Full-scale production of the vaccine is due to start this summer. Company’s facilities comply with GMP standards and are prequalified by WHO.
Sputnik V was registered in India under the emergency use authorization procedure on April 12, 2021 and vaccination against coronavirus with the Russian vaccine started on May 14. As announced in April, RDIF and Panacea have agreed to produce 100 million doses per year of Sputnik V.
According to a press release by the company, the efficacy of Sputnik V is 97.6% based on the analysis of data on the coronavirus infection rate among those in Russia vaccinated with both components of Sputnik V from December 5, 2020 to March 31, 2021.