PSU receives loan license to supply Covaxin drug substance to Bharat Biotech

New Delhi, Aug 13 (PTI) Hyderabad-based PSU Indian Immunologicals Limited has received a loan license from drug regulator CDSCO for supplying to Bharat Biotech Covaxin drug substance produced at its repurposed facility, the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) said on Friday.

The DBT and the Biotechnology Industry Research Council (BIRAC), under Mission Covid Suraksha, launched a project to augment the production capacity of Covaxin, the anti-coronavirus vaccine developed by Bharat Biotech.

"Indian Immunologicals Limited, Hyderabad is the first site under this project to receive from CDSCO (Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation) a loan license for supplying Covaxin drug substance produced at its repurposed facility to Bharat Biotech," the DBT said.

IIL is one of the three public sector undertakings to have been tasked with manufacturing Covaxin doses. It supplied the first lot of commercial Covaxin drug substance to Bharat Biotech on Friday.

Initially, the IIL will produce 2-3 million doses per month, followed by another 4-5 million doses from its new facility at Karkapatla over the next few weeks.

Secretary, DBT and BIRAC chairperson Renu Swarup said the government has worked relentlessly to provide all possible support for ramping up Covaxin production in the country and speed up the Covaxin inoculation drive.

"The loan license agreement by CDSCO for Indian Immunologicals to produce Covaxin drug substance is a major milestone achieved in a very short span of time.

"The DBT-BIRAC support under Mission Covid Suraksha aims to meet the COVID-19 vaccine requirement of our country. I congratulate the team for the efforts put in for this achievement," she said. PTI PR DIV DIV