Gland Pharma to produce 252 million doses of Sputnik V

Hyderabad: Gland Pharma, a Hyderabad-based firm, has signed an agreement with the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), a Russian sovereign wealth fund, for the production and supply of 252 million (25.2 crore) doses of Sputnik V vaccine, the Russian Covid-19 vaccine.

On Tuesday, the company stated that it hopes to start the production of Sputnik V vaccine at the Hyderabad facility from the third quarter of this year, and the deliveries likely to commence from the fourth quarter of this year. The tie-up news sent the scrip of the company, that got enlisted on Indian Bourses in the month of November last year, increasing the record to Rs 2,784.45 a share on Tuesday on the Bombay Stock Exchange, before settling down to close almost 7% up at Rs2,718.65, a share in comparison to the last day’s closing price.

The regulatory filing stated, “Under the terms of the agreement, Gland Pharma will first undertake technology transfer of the drug substance to its manufacturing facilities. After successful technology transfer, Gland Pharma will then undertake manufacturing of drug substance and drug product filling into vials under aseptic conditions”. But, it remained unclear whether the Sputnik V vaccine that the Gland Pharma shall produce is only for the Indian market or for global use also.

The pharma company that PVN Raju had set up in the year 1978 and is now majorly owned by Fosun Pharma of China stated that it shall help in the manufacture of sterile injections for the production of Sputnik V and also shall develop a stable supply of Covid-19 vaccines. Gland Pharma is the first amongst the multiple partnerships that the company is exploring in order to leverage the manufacturing capacities in order to support the supply of the Covid-19 vaccine globally. It shall see the utilisation of drug substances and product facilities at the Hyderabad site.

The recent collaboration comes up as Sputnik V has applied the authorization regarding the emergency usage to the Indian drug regulator. Moreover, at the end of February, the Phase 2/3 trials on 1,600 volunteers that are being carried out in Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, are asked to submit their safety data on the Indian trials. In September 2020, Dr. Reddy’s Labs, a Hyderabad-based firm, has collaborated with RDIF for conducting clinical trials and distribution of 100 million vaccine doses in India.