New Delhi: The Serum Institute of India (SII) on Tuesday announced to produce an additional 100 million COVID-19 vaccine doses for India and low and middle-income countries in 2021.
The vaccine will be produced in collaboration with Gavi-The Vaccine Alliance and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Earlier in August, SII, the world's largest vaccine manufacturer announced to produce 100 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine.
It brings the total number of vaccine to be delivered by the partnership to up to 200 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine.
An SII official said that the vaccine priced at a maximum of US 3$ per dose, for low and middle-income countries in 2021.
"The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, via its strategic investment fund, will provide at-risk funding of a further USD 150 million to Gavi, bringing the total funding provided through this collaboration to USD 300 million," the official said.
The collaboration will provide upfront capital to SII to help it increase manufacturing capacity now so that, once a vaccine, or vaccines, gains regulatory approval and WHO prequalification, doses can be distributed at scale to LMICs as part of the Gavi Covax AMC mechanism as early as the first half of 2021.
"The collaboration further bolsters up for fight against COVID-19. Through the avid support of Gavi and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, we will now manufacture and deliver up to an additional 100 million doses of immunogenic and safe proven future COVID-19 vaccine to India and low and middle-income countries in 2021," said Adar Poonawalla, CEO of SII.
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He said that at this stage, it is important for governments, global health and financial institutions in the public and private sector to come together in ensuring that no one is left behind the road to recovery.
"This association is in line with our efforts to see that the future vaccines reach the remotest part of the world providing full immunisation coverage in a bid to contain the spread of the pandemic," said Poonawalla.
The funding will help accelerate the manufacturing by SII for candidate vaccines licensed from AstraZeneca and Novavax, which will be available for procurement if they are successful in attaining full license and WHO prequalification.
The vaccine will have a ceiling price of US 3$ per dose, a price enabled by investments made by partners such as the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and SII.
