Dr Reddy's Laboratories, which has received approval from the Indian drug regulator for restricted emergency use of COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V, today said it expects the first lot of stock from Russian Direct Investment Fund by May end.
In September 2020, Dr Reddys and RDIF entered into a partnership to conduct clinical trials of Sputnik V, developed by the Gamaleya National Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology and the rights for distribution of the first 100 million doses in India.
Later, it was enhanced to 125 million.
"We are targeting to have the first batches imported by Q1, and are trying our best to have them by end-May," A Dr Reddy's spokesperson told news agency Press Trust of India.
RDIF CEO Kirill Dmitriev in a virtual press conference recently said he expected over 50 million doses of Sputnik V vaccine to be manufactured in India by this summer.
He had said RDIF has tied up with five drug companies for the vaccine and is looking at a couple of more firms for the possible production pacts.
Once available, Sputnik V will be the third vaccine to be used in India against coronavirus.
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.
"We expect Domestic Manufacturing to ramp up from Q2. We are not able to confirm on the first lot size at this time," Dr Reddy's official further said.
A senior official of Dr Reddy's said the vaccine will be imported in a frozen condition from RDIF maintaining -18 to -22 degree celsius.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Daily Covid Cases On The Decline In India, But Centre Remains Alert India Reports 756 Fresh Covid Cases, 5 Deaths In Last 24 Hours 628 Fresh Covid Cases In India, Active Caseload At 4,054 4-Year-Old Boy Run Over By Speeding Creta In Mumbai, Teen Driver Arrested BJP Leader Who Lost To Priyanka Gandhi Challenges Election, Congress Reacts Judge Tells Story Of 2 Lawyers, One Became President, Other Chief Justice Man Learnt To Make Bombs Online To Target In-Laws, Arrested: Gujarat Cops Helicopter Crashes Into Turkish Hospital During Take-Off, Four Killed PM Modi Gets Kuwait's Highest Honour 'The Order Of Mubarak Al Kabeer' Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.