Three more firms get the nod to produce Covaxin

In addition to three public sector enterprises (PSEs) that signed pacts with Bharat Biotech to produce Covaxin, three more Ahmedabad-based firms — including State-owned Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre — will produce the Covid-19 vaccine in the country, an official statement said on Saturday.

Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre, Hester Biosciences, and OmniBRx Biotechnologies firmed up discussions with Bharat Biotech for the Covaxin technology transfer, which would help them produce an additional 20 million doses per month. “Technology transfer agreements have been finalised with all manufacturers,” the statement said.

The Department of Biotechnology (DBT), as part of a recently-announced Covid Suraksha scheme, has given a grant of ₹65 crore to Mumbai-based Haffkine Biopharmaceuticals, ₹60 crore to Indian Immunologicals Limited of National Dairy Development Board, and ₹30 crore to Bharat Immunologicals and Biologicals Limited (BIBCOL), a DBT facility at Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh.

While Haffkine will help produce an additional 20 million doses per month when the facility is ready, BIBCOL can produce 10-15 million doses a month, the statement said.