Bharat Biotech says regulatory steps taken for Brazil COVID19 vaccine contract

Hyderabad, June 30: India's Bharat Biotech said on Wednesday it followed a "step-by-step" approach for the regulatory approval and supply contract of its COVID-19 vaccine in Brazil, and that it has not received advance payments from the Brazilian health ministry.

"In the case of procurement of COVAXIN by Brazil, step-by-step approach followed towards contracts, & regulatory approvals, during 8-month-long process. EUA received on 4 June 2021. As of 29 June, we haven't received any advance payments nor supplied vaccines to Brazil," the company said in a statement, news agency ANI reported.

Bharat Biotech's Covaxin is an inactivated, two-dose vaccine which has been developed in collaboration with Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

The Brazilian government, which agreed to purchase 20 million doses of Bharat Biotechs COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin, on Wednesday announced suspension of the contract following allegations of irregularities in the deal.

"By recommendation of @CGUonline, we decided to temporarily suspend the Covaxin contract. According to CGU''s preliminary analysis, there are no irregularities in the contract, but, due to compliance, the @minsaude opted to suspend the contract for further analysis," Brazil Health Minister Marcelo Queiroga tweeted.

The Covaxin contract to Brazil landed in controversy after the South American countrys Attorney General reportedly launched a probe into the deal.

"It is noteworthy that the @govbr did not pay ANY CENT for the Covaxin vaccine. The measure does not compromise the pace of the vaccination campaign against #Covid19 in Brazil, since there is no approval from Anvisa for emergency or definitive use of the immunizing agent," Queiroga said in another tweet.