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More data sought on Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine

Hyderabad-based Dr Reddy’s applied for emergency use authorization (EUA) to the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) on February 19 for the human adenoviral vector-based vaccine candidate.

Updated on: Feb 25, 2021, 06:26:10 IST
By , New Delhi
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 It will be some time before Sputnik V, the Russia-developed vaccine against the Coronavirus disease (Covid-19), is approval for use in India. The subject expert committee (SEC) of the national drug regulator asked Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, which is conducting clinical trials on it locally, to come back with more data.

In September 2020, Dr Reddy’s partnered with the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) to conduct the clinical trials of the Sputnik V and for its distribution rights in India. (Reuters Photo)
In September 2020, Dr Reddy’s partnered with the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) to conduct the clinical trials of the Sputnik V and for its distribution rights in India. (Reuters Photo)

Hyderabad-based Dr Reddy’s applied for emergency use authorization (EUA) to the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) on February 19 for the human adenoviral vector-based vaccine candidate.

The subject expert committee took up the application on Wednesday, but did not recommend that the vaccine be approved for use in India with the current data set that was produced before its members.

“The subject expert committee has sought more data such as the immunogenicity data from the company. The application has not been rejected, they will be given a chance to present their case once again after they have all the relevant documents,” said a senior government official with knowledge of the matter, requesting not to be identified. The company had presented the safety profile of Phase 2 clinical trials, and interim data from Phase 3 trials.

In September 2020, Dr Reddy’s partnered with the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) to conduct the clinical trials of the Sputnik V and for its distribution rights in India.

The vaccine is currently undergoing Phase 3 clinical trials in India. Sputnik V has demonstrated an efficacy rate of 91.6% in the interim analysis of the Phase 3 clinical trials, which included data on 19,866 volunteers in Russia, who received both the first and second dose of the vaccine.

  • Rhythma Kaul
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Rhythma Kaul

    Rhythma Kaul is the national health editor of the Hindustan Times. She has been reporting on public health, medicine, and medical research, with a particular focus on how government decisions and health system reforms shape people’s lives. Rhythma has over 25 years of journalistic experience. She joined Hindustan Times in 2008, and has since covered everything from pandemics and infectious diseases to cutting‑edge medical research and climate‑related health challenges. Her stories routinely track the work of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, department of pharmaceuticals, and key national health programmes, making complex medical science and policy accessible to a wide audience. One of her prominent news breaks has been the 2012 Baby Falak case: A two-year-old brutally battered baby girl was admitted to AIIMS-Delhi with severe head injuries, multiple fractures, human bite marks, and burns. The police investigation revealed this to be a case of multi-state human-trafficking racket. She was profiled by The Wall Street Journal for breaking this story. Rhythma holds a Master’s degree from Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi. Prior to Hindustan Times, she worked with the India Today Group. Rhythma can be contacted at rhythma.kaul@hindustantimes.com. Her X handle is @RamblingBrook.Read More