If everything goes as per the schedule, the drug substance would be available from August 2021 which will be supplied back to Bharat Biotech do do fill and finish of the vaccine. Hester will be investing about Rs 40 crores on this project.
The WHO has said that “more information” is “required” from Bharat Biotech, which is seeking emergency use listing (EUL) for its Covaxin vaccine for COVID-19.
Bharat Biotech on May 27 signed an MoU with the Gujarat Covid Vaccine Consortium (GCVC) to do contract manufacturing of Covaxin drug substance.
The Gujarat Covid Vaccine Consortium (GCVC) consists of Hester Biosciences, Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre (GBRC), a Government of Gujarat undertaking and Omnibrx Biotechnologies.
As per the MoU, Bharat Biotech will provide the technology for the production of the Covaxin drug substance. GBRC will act as an advisor and mentor and will facilitate the technology transfer from Bharat Biotech. Hester will provide the complete infrastructure at its Gujarat plant for the manufacturing of the drug substance. Omnibrx shall act as a technology support partner .
This entire process is facilitated by Department of Biotechnology, Government of India.
If everything goes as per the schedule, the drug substance would be available from August 2021 which will be supplied back to Bharat Biotech do do fill and finish of the vaccine. Hester will be investing about Rs 40 crores on this project.
Hester said the proposed manufacturing would not disturb any manufacturing or marketing forecasts of Hester’s on-going business, for the financial year 2021-2022.
Viswanath Pilla is a business journalist with 14 years of reporting experience. Based in Mumbai, Pilla covers pharma, healthcare and infrastructure sectors for Moneycontrol.
