DCGI grants emergency use permission to Russia’s Sputnik Light one-shot COVID vaccine, says Health Minister

Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya on Sunday informed that the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has granted emergency use authorisation (EUA) to Russia’s single-dose COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik Light in India.

Taking to Twitter, the health minister stated that this is the ninth COVID-19 vaccine in the country. “This will further strengthen the nation’s collective fight against the pandemic,” he added.

This comes after an expert panel of India’s central drug authority on Friday recommended granting restricted emergency use permission to single-dose COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik Light subject to various regulatory provisions.

Sputnik Light is the same as component-1 of Sputnik V.

Dr Reddy’s Laboratories had submitted a proposal to the DCGI to register Sputnik Light vaccine as a booster dose against COVID-19.

“As regards to Sputnik, we are now ready with capacities in India. We are working actively with the Government of India for registering Sputnik Light as a vaccine and as a booster dose of Sputnik V,” Dr Reddy’s Laboratories CEO Erez Israeli said in an analyst call.

Erez Israeli further stated that the company has also submitted a proposal to the DCGI to conduct a trial to test Sputnik Light as a booster to other vaccines.

“Sputnik continues to be a viable option for Dr Reddy’s for India and other countries,” he said.

The Hyderabad-based drug major had partnered with the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) to conduct the clinical trials of Sputnik V and distribute the vaccine in India in September 2020.

COVID vaccination coverage crosses 169 cr

The Health Ministry had on Saturday informed that the cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country crossed 169 crore.