What will be the price of Russia's Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine in India?

New Delhi, Apr 13: In a big relief amidst covid-19 vaccine shortage across the states, Russia's Sputnik V has received a green signal for emergency usage in India by the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) on Tuesday. Sputnik V will be the third vaccine to be used in India against coronavirus.

This is based on results of clinical trials in Russia as well as positive data of additional Phase III local clinical trials in India conducted in partnership with Dr Reddy's Laboratories.

As per Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), Sputnik V has a number of key advantages, including that there are no strong allergies caused by Sputnik V.

The price of the vaccine is less than USD 10 per shot and it uses two different vectors for the two shots in a course of vaccination, providing immunity with a longer duration than vaccines using the same delivery mechanism for both shots, it added.

According to the the makers, the jab is affordable and costs less than 10 dollars about half the cost of the Pfizer vaccine. But it will be under the India's price control for domestic sales and export prices are likely to be higher.

With domestic production, one dose of Sputnik V is expected to be priced under Rs 150.

On February 2, 2021, The Lancet published Phase III data demonstrating a 91.6% efficacy against the original strain of the virus. The Russian vaccine has efficacy of 91.6 per cent and provides full protection against severe cases of COVID-19.

"Over 850 million doses of Sputnik V are going to be produced in India annually sufficient to vaccinate more than 425 million people around the world," RDIF CEO Kirill Dmitriev said.

In September 2020, Dr. Reddy's had partnered with the RDIF to conduct the clinical trials of the Sputnik V and for its distribution rights in India

Other countries that have approved use of Sputnik V include Argentina, Bolivia, Hungary, UAE, Iran, Mexico, Pakistan, Bahrain and Sri Lanka.

In January, DCGI had given the emergency use authorisation for two COVID-19 vaccines -- Covaxin of Bharat Biotech and Covishield of Oxford-AstraZeneca manufactured by Serum Institute of India in Pune.