Sputnik V shot to cost Rs750 in India, to arrive by May-June
Sputnik V is the third vaccine to be cleared for use in India at a time the country's demand is expected to shoot up after vaccinations are opened to all adults from 1 May
Russia's Sputnik V Covid vaccine will be sold at $10 (around Rs750) a dose in India, its India manufacturer Dr Reddy's Labs said on Wedesday.
Several hundred thousand doses will be available in the country in May-June through imports, reports the NDTV citing GV Prasad, Managing Director of Dr Reddy's.
Sputnik V is the third vaccine to be cleared for use in India at a time the country's demand is expected to shoot up after vaccinations are opened to all adults from 1 May.
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Asked how many doses would be available by May-June, Prasad said: "That is still being negotiated, by several hundred thousand is my view."
On the question of prices and different caps, he revealed that the upper limit would be 10 dollars, the global price.
"Firstly, the imported product would only be for the private market, it is allowed for the private market completely. Our partner wants to price it globally at a similar level. The global price is $10 and I am hoping that will be the ceiling in India. So initially we will start with that, once we start manufacturing, we will have to start exporting some of it and give it to the public markets in India and that pricing model we will have to figure out in the next coming weeks. The ceiling being $10 it should be little less than that. That product will be available both for the public and private market," he said.
Dr Reddy's will ramp up manufacture of the vaccine in India after the initial imports.
"The cost of Sputnik V may be marginally lower when its production starts in India," said Prasad.
"After the imported vaccine is exhausted and by the time the India thing comes, we will have probably a...not one price for all of India, the private market will be a premium market."
Sputnik is set to be the costliest shot so far in India.
Serum has said Covishield - developed by Oxford-Astrazeneca - will be sold at Rs400 a shot to state governments and Rs600 to private hospitals. The centre will continue to receive Covishield doses at Rs150 each.
The vaccine can be stored in two forms. In the liquid form, it requires -18 degrees but in the powdered form, it requires a temperature storage of 2-8 degree Celsius, which means it can be stored in the average refrigerator.
