Gland Pharma to start production of Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccines by November

Gland Pharma, a generic injectable focused pharmaceutical company, said it is on track to begin production of Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccines from October-November.

Technology transfer of the drug substance to its manufacturing facility is under way, the company said. A dedicated manufacturing unit at Pashamylaram near Hyderabad is ready for commercial production.

Gland Pharma is investing Rs 300 crore on setting up dedicated manufacturing facilities to make COVID-19 vaccines. The company said it has invested about Rs 121 crore so far on vaccine manufacturing infrastructure. The company plans to repurpose a vaccine manufacturing facility later for contract manufacturing of biosimilars.

Gland Pharma entered into a partnership with Russia's sovereign fund, the Russian Direct Investment Fund, in March to manufacture and supply up to 252 million doses of the Sputnik V vaccine. As per the agreement, Gland Pharma will supply the vaccines to RDIF at a fixed price till the end of next year.

Gland also signed an agreement to carry out the fill-finish of Hetero's Sputnik V vaccine at its Pashamylaram site. Hetero has signed up with RDIF to produce 100 million doses of Sputnik V vaccines.