Dr Reddy’s Laboratories informed on Friday that a jab of Russian Covid-19 vaccine Sputnik V would cost nearly Rs 1,000 in the Indian market.
The Hyderabad based pharmaceutical giant which is in partnership with Russia’s Gamaleya Research Institute said that the vaccine will be available for Rs ₹995.40 per shot, including a GST of 5%.
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The company also administered Sputnik V to a few individuals on a pilot basis in Hyderabad on Friday.
The first consignment of imported doses of the Sputnik V vaccine landed in India on 1 May, and received regulatory clearance from the Central Drugs Laboratory, Kasauli, on 13 May, the company said.
“Further consignments of imported doses are expected over the upcoming months. Subsequently, supply of the Sputnik V vaccine will commence from Indian manufacturing partners,” it added.
However, the doses of the vaccine that will be made in India are expected to be cheaper.
The company said it is working closely with its six manufacturing partners to fulfil regulatory requirements to ensure a smooth and timely supply.
The Centre had said a day ago that the vaccine is likely to be available in the market from next week.
“I’m happy to say that we’re hopeful that it’ll be available in the market next week. We’re hopeful that the sale of the limited supply that has come from there (Russia), will begin next week,” Niti Aayog VK Paul had told the reporters on Thursday.
The country is looking to produce 15.6 crore doses of the Russian Covid vaccine.
“Its production will begin in July and it is estimated that 15.6 crore doses will be manufactured in that period,” Paul had added.
It is the third vaccine India has given go-ahead to after ‘Covishield’, developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca and ‘Covaxin’, the indigenous vaccine manufactured by Bharat Biotech. Covishield is manufactured by the Serum Institute of India.
With an efficacy of 91.6%, Sputnik V was the first vaccine against coronavirus in the world. Clinical trial data published in The Lancet indicated that the Covid-19 vaccine “appears safe and effective”.