BENGALURU: The Serum Institute of India, the world’s largest producer of vaccines by volume, is close to signing a supply contract with the country’s central government and is likely to set prices at 250 rupees ($ 3.39) per dose of the vaccine, Business Standard reported Tuesday: citing people familiar with the matter.
The government is pinning its massive supply hopes on the Serum Institute, which submitted the first formal application for approval of emergency use of the AstraZeneca injection on Monday.
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Chief Executive Officer Adar Poonawalla had previously said that the vaccine would be priced at Rs 1,000 ($ 13.55) per dose in the private market in India, but governments that sign large supply deals will likely buy it at higher prices. low.
Poonawalla had said that Serum will focus first on supplying the vaccine to Indians before distributing it to other countries.
With 9.70 million COVID-19 cases recorded so far, India ranks second after the United States and is accelerating its review of vaccines developed by Pfizer Inc and AstraZeneca to authorize emergency use, a senior said on Monday. official.
The Indian Medical Research Council, the Serum Institute and the state-run Indian Ministry of Health did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment.
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