Amid vaccine shortage, Dr Reddy’s says it’s in in talks on Sputnik V for other countries

New Delhi: Sputnik V, the Russian vaccine against Coronavirus, came to India raising fresh hopes of addressing the vaccine shortage. Though, India is way short of its vaccine target owing to its humongous population.

Meanwhile, Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, which is in a pact with Russian Direct Investment Fund to sell 125 million people doses (250 million vials) of Covid-19 vaccine Sputnik V in India, is holding parleys with RDIF for acquiring rights for more countries, a senior official of the Indian drug maker said.

”..we are also in discussions with them (RDIF) about quantities and rights, assets permit for other countries. So this is the overall view that we have at this stage of Sputnik,” Chief Executive Officer of Dr Reddys, Erez Israeli said in a recent Earnings Conference Call, as reported by news agency PTI.

Dr Reddy’s which had received over two lakh vaccines from RDIF, recently soft-launched Sputnik V and tied up with Apollo Hospitals for piloting the vaccine.

Dr Reddy’s and Apollo Hospital recently announced that they have kicked off the first phase of vaccinations with Sputnik V in Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam in India. Soon, the pilot programme will be extended to Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Kolkata and Pune, Apollo Hospitals said.