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Pharma major Dr Reddy’s Laboratories has completed Phase II clinical trials for the Russian Covid vaccine candidate, Sputnik V, in India.
A spokesperson for the Hyderabad-based company told BusinessLine on Thursday that the trials were completed with both doses given to all subjects.
The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), Russia’s sovereign wealth fund, has collaborated with Dr Reddy’s to conduct clinical trials and distribute the vaccine in India.
Phase 3 testing shortly
Dr Reddy’s will begin Phase III trials shortly and complete it in March.
The completion of Sputnik trials is being eagerly awaited by all stakeholders as already two vaccines; Covishield of Serum Institute and Covaxin of Bharat Biotech, have been given emergency use approval by the drug regulator.
Vaccine manufacturing
The Russian authorities claim that Sputnik V had reduced by 92 per cent the possibility of those inoculated being clinically diagnosed with symptomatic Covid-19. In the meanwhile, Sputnik is all set for manufacturing in India.
When asked if Dr Reddy’s has already been getting the vaccine stocks, the spokesperson said: “Our approach is a combination of importing from Russia plus manufacturing in India.”
Russia has inked pacts with four large manufacturers and India will produce 30 crore doses or more of the vaccine for RDIF in 2021.
The RDIF and Hyderabad-based Hetero, through its biologics arm Hetero Biopharma, had also inked a pact to produce more than 10 core doses of Sputnik V annually in India.
Hetero said it will start production of Sputnik in early 2021.
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