COVID-19 Update: Bharat Biotech Seeks International Partners To Produce More Vaccine
Bharat Biotech, an Indian biotechnology and vaccine maker company, is seeking international manufacturing partners in order to produce a billion doses of its COVID-19 vaccine each year.
Bharat Biotech's COVAXIN does is already approved by the Union Government for emergency use in India. Meanwhile, it is one of two shots driving India's massive vaccination drive, amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
However, when it comes to increasing the output of vaccine production, Bharat Biotech has struggled. It is also missing supply commitments to the Union government, which is also relying on a version of the AstraZeneca vaccine manufactured by the Adar Poonawalla led Serum Institute of India and Russia's Sputnik V vaccine.
Meanwhile, the company on Sunday started the first batch of COVAXIN shots from a facility in Ankleshwar, Gujrat. This center has a capacity to manufacture over 10 million doses per month.
The company has said that it was looking for opportunities to associate with its international partners who have greater experience in manufacturing commercial-scale vaccines.
Earlier, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya told parliament that Bharat Biotech will distribute 25 million doses in July and 35 million in August.
