Amid the ongoing vaccination drive in the country, India has on Friday welcomed a significant development in its COVID-19 vaccination programme as the Russian-made Sputnik vaccine has come to the nation's battlefield against the pandemic. The drug is imported by Dr. Reddy's Laboratories, the Indian-based multinational pharmaceutical company. 

The first dose of the Sputnik vaccine was administered in India on Friday. According to reports, the company has received the first consignment of the vaccine from Russia on May 1, with the package containing 1.5 lakh doses. The drug has received regulatory clearance from the Central Drugs Laboratory, Kasauli, on May 13, 2021. With the first dose being inoculated, the supply of the Sputnik V vaccine will commence from the Indian manufacturing partners. 

In a statement, the company said, "As per protocol, the batch was sent to the Central Drugs Laboratory in Kasauli for testing." The Central lab has given the clearance on Thursday. It further said, "As part of a limited pilot, the soft launch of the vaccine was commenced and the first dose of the vaccine was administered in Hyderabad today on 14th May 2021." 

"The company is working closely with its six manufacturing partners in India to fulfil regulatory requirements to ensure smooth and timely supply", the statement added. On the front of the pricing, the company said, "The imported doses of the vaccine are presently priced at an MRP of Rs 948+5 per cent GST per dose (Rs 995 per dose), with the possibility of a lower price point when local supply begins." 

It further added, "Further consignments of imported doses are expected over the upcoming months. Subsequently, supply of the Sputnik V vaccine will commence from Indian manufacturing partners." The Indian-based laboratory said that it will work closely with stakeholders in the government and private sector in India to ensure the widest possible reach of the Sputnik V vaccine, as part of the national inoculation effort. 

Dr. Reddy's Co-Chairman and Managing Director GV Prasad said, "With the rising cases in India, vaccination is the most effective tool in our battle against COVID-19. Contributing to the vaccination drive in India is our biggest priority right now to help Indians be healthy and safe." Dr. Reddy's had obtained consent permission from the Drug Controller General of India in April to import the Sputnik Vaccine into India for restricted use in emergency situations.

The company had partnered with the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) to conduct the clinical trials of the Sputnik vaccine and distribute the vaccine in India in September 2020. The medical experts say that Sputnik V uses two different vectors for the two shots in a course of vaccination. The efficacy of the vaccine is said to be 91.6 per cent. 

As the Sputnik V vaccine has come to aid the containment efforts of the country, the Center has on Thursday said that over two billion doses of vaccines will be made available in the country in five months between August and December, enough to vaccinate the entire population. VK Paul, Member of Niti Aayog at a Health Ministry briefing said that the estimated 216 crore doses that are likely to be produced between August and December include 75 crore doses of Covishield and 55 crore doses of Covaxin.

Along with that, Biological E is expected to produce 30 crore doses, Zydus Cadila 5 crore doses, Serum Institute of India 20 crore doses of Novavax, and Bharat Biotech 10 crore doses of its nasal vaccine, while Gennova will make available 6 crore doses and Sputnik V 15.6 crore doses. Currently, India is carrying out the third phase of the vaccination drive from May 1 with the target of inoculating the COVID-19 vaccine for people between the age category of 18-43.