Indian pharma major Wockhardt announced today that the company has signed a deal with Dubai's Enso Healthcare to make and supply doses of Russia's Sputnik V / Sputnik Light vaccine against COVID-19.
"We are delighted to partner with RDIF to make a substantial contribution towards providing global supply of the Sputnik V and Sputnik Light vaccines which is one of the most efficacious approved vaccines commercially available," Wockhardt Group Founder Chairman Habil Khorakiwala said in a statement.
Wockhardt noted that the company would manufacture and supply up to 620 million doses of the Sputnik V and the Sputnik Light vaccines to Enso.
"Subject to requisite approvals and other conditions, upon successful technology transfer from Human Vaccine LLC (HV) to the Company, the Company will manufacture and supply to Enso upto 620 million doses of the Sputnik V vaccine and the Sputnik Light vaccine against Covid-19," it said in a regulatory filing.
The term of the agreement is up to June 2023, it added.
The agreement between Wockhardt, Enso Healthcare DMCC ("Enso") and Human Vaccine LLC ("HV") was signed on August 12. While Enso Healthcare DMCC is based in Dubai, Human Vaccine LLC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the "Management Company of Russian Direct Investment Fund", the sovereign wealth fund of the Russian Federation ("RDIF").
"The agreement between the Company, HV, Enso was reached under the aegis of Enso, RDIF's coordination partner for sourcing Sputnik vaccine in India," it said.
In June, Wockhardt had told NDTV that the company was set to announce a major production deal for an undisclosed vaccine. At the time, Dr Habil Khorakiwala, the Chairman of Wockhardt, had said that the company will be able to manufacture 500 million doses a year.
India's Panacea Biotec Ltd has also agreed to produce up to 25 million doses of the Sputnik V vaccine using the drug substance made by Russia's Generium. Panacea will then supply the doses to drugmaker Dr Reddy's Laboratories for distribution in India
Sputnik V is a two-dose shot, which has been found to be 91.6% effective in preventing people from developing COVID-19.
Till date, the vaccine has been registered in 69 countries globally with a total population of over 3.7 billion people.
With inputs from Reuters, PTI
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