Around 250 million Covid vaccines manufactured by two major Hyderabad-based units – Biological E and Bharat Biotech – are ready for dispatch in the market as soon as orders are received. Nearly 200 million Corbevax vaccine of Biological E and 50 million of Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin are stockpiled at the moment.
“We have approximately 20 crore (200 million) doses that are fully tested and ready for supply, as and when we receive orders. Additionally, we manufactured 20 crore doses equivalent of the antigen which will help us ramp up the manufacturing of the Corbevax finished product quickly,” executive vice president (manufacturing) of Biological E Vikram Paradkar was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
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Paradkar added that his company manufactured a total of 30 crore jabs of Corbevax and supplied around 10 crore doses in March. The additional supplies can be started within eight weeks after the next batch orders are received at a rate of 10 crore doses per month.
Corbevax was produced in collaboration with Texas Childeren’s Hospital Centre for Vaccine Development and Baylor College of Medicine. This vaccine was introduced on August 8 as a precautionary dose for children between 12 and 15 age group against the Coronavirus after the recommendations from the Covid-19 working group of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation.
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Similarly, around 50 million Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin are available in the form of vials, whereas around 200 million doses are kept as drug substance. The vaccine was indigenously developed along with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)-National Institute of Virology (NIV).
(With agency inputs)
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