Hyderabad: The first batch of Russia’s coronavirus vaccine, Sputnik V, arrived in Hyderabad on Saturday.
According to reports, the first batch comprises 150,000 doses of Sputnik V. Another 30 lakh doses of the Russian-made vaccine are due to arrive in India later this month.
These doses will be delivered to Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, the Indian partner of the Russian vaccine.
Dr Reddy’s will then seek mandatory approval from Central Drugs Laboratory in Kasauli before distributing the doses of Sputnik V.
In a tweet, the makers of the Russian vaccine said, “Let’s jointly defeat this pandemic. Together we are stronger.”
First batch of #SputnikV vaccine arrives in Hyderabad, India! That’s the same day the country starts mass COVID vaccination drive covering its entire adult population. Let’s jointly defeat this pandemic. Together we are stronger.✌️ pic.twitter.com/312Kvtax1L
— Sputnik V (@sputnikvaccine) May 1, 2021
Indian regulators had granted regulatory approval or restricted use authorisation to Sputnik V on April 12.
With an efficacy of 91.6 per cent, Sputnik V was the first vaccine against COVID-19 in the world. Clinical trial data published in The Lancet indicated that the vaccine “appears safe and effective”, India Today reported.