Indian vaccine makers are in two minds about partnering with Russian agencies to make the Sputnik-V vaccine for Covid19 after the health ministry on Tuesday indicated that the two countries have initiated dialogues. India produces 60 per cent of the world's vaccines and is a key player in the global Covid vaccine scene.
A source in Zydus Cadila, one of the frontrunners in India's vaccine race, said that they were open to collaborations with Russia for the Sputnik-V if the Indian regulator gives a nod. "There would not be any technological challenge to manufacture the vaccines here," the official said.
However, the world's largest vaccine maker by volume, Serum Institute of India, and Hyderabad-based Biological E feel that there is yet no clarity on the Sputnik-V.
"We do not have much information on the Sputnik-V and no one has approached us so far. So we are not considering it at the moment as we already have our existing collaborations (Oxford-AstraZeneca and Novavax) apart from our own vaccine candidates (repurposed BCG vaccine for example) to focus on," said a source in the company.
As such the health ministry has reached out to vaccine makers to understand India's preparedness to manufacture Covid vaccines once a successful candidate emerges. An expert committee on vaccine administration has met the vaccine makers and taken stock of what kind of capacities are available in India. Further, the government has made it amply clear that India would make the vaccine not only for itself but for the world including its 'key' neighbours and low and medium income countries.
The reason why India is going to play a key role in the global vaccine game is because of sheer manufacturing capacity. Sample this: Serum Institute sold 1.5 bn vaccines last year.
It is already gearing up with an additional 300-400 mn doses for the Oxford-AstraZeneca candidate Covishield by the end of this year. This capacity would be eventually scaled up to 1 bn doses within a year or so. Add to this, the one billion doses capacity planned for Novavax. With the new campus, SII will have a capacity to make 1.95 bn doses by the end of 2020.
Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan had indicated on Tuesday that Russia and India are in communication for the Sputnik-V and some initial information has already been shared. Russia has recently registered its vaccine candidate which is now in the phase 3 clinical trials involving more than 40,000 people across 45 medical centers around Russia.
According to reports, Russia is interested in partnering with India for manufacturing the vaccine. The international news reports claimed that Kirill Dmitriev, the CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund had indicated that they are looking for partnership with India.
Indian makers pointed out that Russia does not have the capacities to make the vaccine for its entire population, and would reach out to India. However, they also said that since the results of initial trials have not been made public yet, the vaccine makers here as well as the regulator do not have clarity on the candidate.