Russia’s Sputnik V candidate vaccine against the coronavirus disease that has shown over 90 per cent efficacy will be priced below $10 (Rs 740) per dose in international markets, its developers who have offered India 100 million doses announced on Tuesday.
The Gamelaya Centre in Moscow and the Russia Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), the Russian government’s sovereign wealth fund, also released a fresh analysis of clinical trials showing the vaccine’s efficacy at protecting people from Covid-19 as 91 per cent.
Eight among 14,095 volunteers in the Russian trial who received Sputnik V developed Covid-19, while 31 of 4,699 who received placebo developed the infection. The split implies a 91 per cent efficacy.
For two doses required for protection, the vaccine would cost under $20 (Rs 1,481) per person, the agencies said. This price tag is lower than the $25 (Rs 1,851) to $37 (Rs 2,740) per dose for Moderna’s and around $20 per dose for the Pfizer-BioNTech candidate vaccines, but higher than AstraZeneca’s $3 (Rs 222) per dose for purchase by the Indian government.
The RDIF had partnered with the Hyderabad-based pharmaceuticals company Dr Reddy’s Laboratories in mid-September to conduct local clinical trials and distribute 100 million doses of the vaccine across the country after the trials and regulatory approvals.
A senior RDIF official said the $10 price was for the “international market”. It is unclear what price India would need to pay for the 100 million doses offered through Dr Reddy’s Laboratories and whether these doses would be routed to the government or be available for the private market.
Union health minister Harsh Vardhan on Tuesday indicated that the Centre is awaiting the completion of the clinical trials. “Dr Reddy’s Laboratories will distribute the Russian vaccine in India after conducting final-stage human trials and receiving regulatory approval,” Harsh Vardhan said.
He had said in October that the health ministry was hoping to procure 500 million doses of vaccines by July 2021 to vaccinate 250 million people across India from priority population groups such as healthcare workers to be identified by states.
A senior Indian official said on Tuesday that the government was hoping for more than one vaccine to become available in India during the first half of 2021.
If all goes according to expectations, the most likely candidates to roll out are the AstraZeneca vaccine, a homegrown vaccine from the Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech, and the Russian vaccine.
The AstraZeneca candidate has shown 70 per cent efficacy with a promise of 90 per cent efficacy with a different dosing regimen.
The Pune-based Serum Institute — the local manufacturer of the AstraZeneca candidate — has indicated it would seek emergency use approval for the vaccine from drug regulators.
