Serum Institute to manufacture Russia's Sputnik vaccine

The Drug Controller General of India on Friday granted the Serum Institute of India to manufacture the Russian-made Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine, according to a Hindustan Times report.

"The DCGI has granted permission to the Serum Institute to manufacture the Sputnik Covid-19 vaccine in India for examination, test, and analysis at its licensed Hadapsar facility with certain conditions," news agency PTI reported, citing official sources.

India granted emergency use authorisation to Sputnik V on April 13. A test license, according to the Central Drugs Standards Control Organisation (CDSCO) website, is granted for the import of small quantities of drugs for purposes of examination, testing, or analysis.

This license, unless suspended or revoked, will be enforced for a period of three years from the date of its issuance on June 4.

The Pune-based SII has collaborated with Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, Moscow, in Russia for developing Sputnik V at its licensed Hadapsar facility.

The SII has already told the government that it will be able to manufacture and supply 10 crore Covishield doses in June, while it is also manufacturing the Novavax vaccine, the regulatory clearance for which is awaited from the United States.