Hyderabad’s Indian Immunologicals Limited to supply raw material for vaccine to Bharat Biotech

HYDERABAD:  Amid the severe shortage of vaccine in the country, the Hyderabad-based PSU, Indian Immunologicals Limited (IIL) will be supplying ‘drug substance’ required for the manufacturing of Covaxin to Bharat Biotech. IIL Managing Director Dr K Anand Kumar said that Indian Immunologicals Limited is planning to start the production of drug substance for Covaxin from June 15 and send out the first batch to Bharat Biotech by July.

Stating that Indian Immunologicals Limited is expected to produce the drug substance for about 10 to 15 million doses per month, Dr Anand Kumar said it will be initially for two to three million doses and will be scaled up to six to seven million per month later in the year. He said that they Indian Immunologicals Limited will be converting its Karakapatla manufacturing unit near Hyderabad into a Bio Safety Level -3 (BSL3) facility for the production of the drug substance and is also taking up construction of another block. This is as part of the Central government’s plan to augment the vaccine production in the country and support some public sector companies with grants under ‘Mission Covid Suraksha’.

The IIL has been sanctioned a grant of `60 crore towards enhancing its production capabilities. The II L is also working on another Covid-19 vaccine, which is currently undergoing animal trials, and the company is expected to come with the final vaccine by next year.