Panacea Biotec gets manufacturing license for Sputnik V vaccine

Panacea Biotec has secured a manufacturing license from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) for Sputnik V vaccine against Covid-19 following its collaboration with the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF).

According to the vaccine producer, the license is an essential condition for using Sputnik V vaccine produced by it in India.

Earlier, batches produced at the company’s facilities at Baddi in Himachal Pradesh were shipped to the Gamaleya Center in Russia for quality control purpose. The batches are said to have passed all the checks for quality parameters at the Gamaleya Center as well as the Central Drug Laboratory in Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh.

Panacea Biotec had started production of the Sputnik V Covid vaccine in May 2021.

Russian Covid-19 vaccine Sputnik V. Photo courtesy of The Russian Direct Investment Fund.

Sputnik V was approved in India under the emergency use authorization procedure in April 2021 and was launched the following month in the country. The Russian Covid vaccine has been approved in 67 countries so far.

Dr. Rajesh Jain – Managing Director for Panacea Biotec said: “Panacea Biotec is delighted to announce the obtaining of the manufacturing license to produce Sputnik V vaccine in India. At this occasion, we thank the leadership of our Hon’ble Prime Minister Modi ji and Government of India for timely handholding and expediting clearances to enable ‘Make in India’ vaccines.”