Serum Institute of India (SSI) on Friday announced it has resumed commercial export of Covishield Covid-19 vaccine supply to the UN-backed COVAX.
“The first batches of its COVISHIELD COVID-19 vaccine left the SII manufacturing facility in Pune earlier today, for distribution to low- and middle-income countries via the COVAX mechanism. SII’s supply of doses via COVAX is expected to increase substantially into Quarter 1 2022,” an official statement said.
SII CEO Adar Poonawalla said, “It’s a huge moment to begin exports again, for us, our partners at COVAX and the low- and middle-income countries we support. The world has largely depended on the low-cost, high-quality pharmaceuticals and vaccines that India has traditionally exported, so we are delighted to support the global vaccination effort once more.”
The pharma company also said the total number of Covisheild doses produced have surpassed 1.25 billion. Prakash Kumar Singh, Director, Government and Regulatory Affairs at SII had recently communicated to the Union Health Ministry that the Pune-based firm has 24,89,15,000 doses of Covishield and the stock is increasing every day.
The announcement comes a day after the Union government allowed commercial export of Covishield and Covaxin considering the sufficient stock of the COVID-19 vaccines available with states and Union Territories as well as with manufacturers.
India recently resumed Covid vaccine supply to COVAX with the government allowing Serum Institute of India (SII) to export 50 Lakh doses of Covishield to Nepal, Tajikistan, Bangladesh and Mozambique.
The Covishield shipment will reach Nepal and Tajikistan this week.
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