Dr Reddy's Laboratories has partnered with RDIF to bring Sputnik-Vaccine to India. Sputnik-V will be more affordable once production begins in India: Deepak Sapra. DRDO's 2-DG drug for Covid patients will be much cheaper than alternatives, Sapra says

Russian-made Sputnik-V coronavirus vaccine will only be available at select private hospitals, said Deepak Sapra, CEO (API and Services), Dr Reddy's Laboratories. The Hyderabad-based pharma giant has partnered with the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) to bring the adenoviral-based, two-dose vaccine to India.

In the first few days, Sputnik-V will only be made available at select private hospitals in the country since the jab needs to be stored at -18 degrees Celsius.

Dr Reddy's is also working on data required to seek regulatory approval for the single-dose Sputnik Light vaccine.

Clinical trials of Sputnik Light are being conducted in Russia and the same for Sputnik-V have already been carried out in India, said Sapra. "I hope that once Sputnik Light is brought to India, it will be a shot in the arm for the country's vaccination programme. The most important part is, instead of two doses, a single-dose vaccine will be able to give 80 per cent efficacy," he added.

NITI Aayog member (health) Dr VK Paul said at a press conference earlier this month, "In the case of Sputnik Light, they [RDIF] are saying the first dose is enough. We are examining this claim; we will go through its data and immunogenicity, and after that we will see. Let more information come in."

'Expecting More Supplies of Sputnik-V By Mid-June'

Sputnik-V, which was granted emergency use approval by DCGI in April of this year, will be supplied to state-run vaccination centres after a few weeks once the supply and storage chain is established, Sapra told India Today TV.

"Sputnik-V was administered to the first few Indians on Friday," he said.

CEO (API and Services), Dr Reddy's Laboratories, Deepak Sapra said a total of 1,50,000 doses of Sputnik-V vaccine are in India at the moment. The company is expecting more supplies from Russia later this month and in June, he added.

Sputnik-V Will Appear On CoWin: Deepak Sapra

A pilot batch of 1.5 lakh doses of the Russian vaccine arrived in Hyderabad on May 1. A sample batch was then sent to the Central Drugs Laboratory in Kasauli for regulatory approval. The clearance did not take much time, said Sapra, adding, regulators have to do due-diligence before approving the vaccine.

Asked how the rollout will impact vaccination in India, Sapra said eligible recipients will soon see three instead of two choices of vaccines on the CoWin App.

'Will Be Affordable Once Production Begins In India'

The price of Sputnik-V vaccine, which is being sold at Rs 995 per dose for now, will be reduced once Indian companies start manufacturing it, said Deepak Sapra, CEO (API and Services), Dr Reddy's Laboratories.

As many as 20 million doses of the Russian Covid-19 vaccine can be produced each month from October onwards, he adds.

"At present, the vaccine is being imported from Russia and we are distributing it by setting up a cold chain and logistics, which is why the price is Rs 948 + GST. As we start producing it in India, we expect that economies of scale will allow us to make it more affordable and accessible," said Sapra.

He also said that efforts are underway to be able to store the vaccine between 2 degrees and 8 degrees Celsius.

2-DG Will Be Cheaper Than Alternatives: Sapra

Referring to DRDO's coronavirus drug 2-DG, Deepak Sapra of Dr Reddy's Laboratories said it will be much cheaper than Tocilizumab and other alternatives being used in the treatment of Covid-19 patients in India.

The drug, developed by DRDO in collaboration with Dr Reddy's Laboratories, has shown to reduce the dependence of Covid-19 patients on medical oxygen and improve recovery time.

"The drug, which will be available in sachets and can be consumed orally, has shown to improve oxygen saturation levels," said Deepak Sapra, CEO (API and Services), Dr Reddy's Laboratories.