<p>Coronavirus vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford will cost $3-4 per shot (Rs 219-292) to the government and will be priced at double that rate in private market ones such sales open up, said the CEO of its Indian manufacturer on Monday.</p>.<p>Serum Institute of India, the world's largest vaccine manufacturer, has a licence to produce the shot and has already manufactured close to 50 million doses.</p>.<p>Its CEO Adar Poonawalla told PTI that the company will start selling the Covishield to the Indian government and GAVI countries in the first stage, followed by the private market.</p>.<p>Indian drug regulator on Sunday approved Covishield and Bharat Biotech's Covaxin for restricted emergency use in the country.</p>.<p>"We want the vaccine to be affordable and accessible to all. The government of India will receive it at a far more affordable price of $3-4, since they will be buying in a larger volume," he said.</p>.<p>Poonawalla, who had taken a huge gamble once the pandemic began to unfold by overhauling Serum's assembly line and "sacrificing" products that were to be destined for Europe and America in anticipation of a Covid-19 vaccine, said the priority supplies will go to India and the GAVI (Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization) nations.</p>.<p>Only after meeting their requirements, "the private market will open up where the pricing would be $6-8 per done," he said.</p>.<p>Serum will have 100 million doses in a month, and will possibly double it by April.</p>.<p>The government has indicated that it may need 300 million doses before July 2021, with frontline health workers and the elderly given priority.</p>.<p>Poonawalla said Serum was in touch with the government for the vaccine's procurement.</p>.<p>"Initially, we will supply 50 million doses and we will get more confirmations over the course of the next few days," he added.</p>.<p>After the regulator's nod, Serum expects formalities to be completed in the next 7 to 10 days for the rollout to begin.</p>.<p>When asked if the SII has been barred by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) not to export the vaccine till vulnerable populations in India are protected, Poonawalla said: "We will start exporting the vaccine post the government's approval and talks are going on".</p>.<p>"Our priority list will see us cater to the Indian market first, then the COVAX countries. Optimistically, by March-April we should have permissions in place," he added.</p>.<p>When asked if the company was negotiating bilateral agreements with other countries too for the vaccine, Poonawalla said: "We have bilateral partnerships with nations like Bangladesh, Myanmar, Morocco, etc".</p>.<p>On the efficacy of Covishield, he noted that the company has proven in its trials that it has a 100 per cent efficacy on hospitalisation, implying that there were zero hospitalisations found in the people who took the vaccine globally.</p>.<p>"The efficacy results of the vaccine are quite high if it is administered in 2-doses within a gap of 2 – 3months," Poonawalla said.</p>
<p>Coronavirus vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford will cost $3-4 per shot (Rs 219-292) to the government and will be priced at double that rate in private market ones such sales open up, said the CEO of its Indian manufacturer on Monday.</p>.<p>Serum Institute of India, the world's largest vaccine manufacturer, has a licence to produce the shot and has already manufactured close to 50 million doses.</p>.<p>Its CEO Adar Poonawalla told PTI that the company will start selling the Covishield to the Indian government and GAVI countries in the first stage, followed by the private market.</p>.<p>Indian drug regulator on Sunday approved Covishield and Bharat Biotech's Covaxin for restricted emergency use in the country.</p>.<p>"We want the vaccine to be affordable and accessible to all. The government of India will receive it at a far more affordable price of $3-4, since they will be buying in a larger volume," he said.</p>.<p>Poonawalla, who had taken a huge gamble once the pandemic began to unfold by overhauling Serum's assembly line and "sacrificing" products that were to be destined for Europe and America in anticipation of a Covid-19 vaccine, said the priority supplies will go to India and the GAVI (Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization) nations.</p>.<p>Only after meeting their requirements, "the private market will open up where the pricing would be $6-8 per done," he said.</p>.<p>Serum will have 100 million doses in a month, and will possibly double it by April.</p>.<p>The government has indicated that it may need 300 million doses before July 2021, with frontline health workers and the elderly given priority.</p>.<p>Poonawalla said Serum was in touch with the government for the vaccine's procurement.</p>.<p>"Initially, we will supply 50 million doses and we will get more confirmations over the course of the next few days," he added.</p>.<p>After the regulator's nod, Serum expects formalities to be completed in the next 7 to 10 days for the rollout to begin.</p>.<p>When asked if the SII has been barred by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) not to export the vaccine till vulnerable populations in India are protected, Poonawalla said: "We will start exporting the vaccine post the government's approval and talks are going on".</p>.<p>"Our priority list will see us cater to the Indian market first, then the COVAX countries. Optimistically, by March-April we should have permissions in place," he added.</p>.<p>When asked if the company was negotiating bilateral agreements with other countries too for the vaccine, Poonawalla said: "We have bilateral partnerships with nations like Bangladesh, Myanmar, Morocco, etc".</p>.<p>On the efficacy of Covishield, he noted that the company has proven in its trials that it has a 100 per cent efficacy on hospitalisation, implying that there were zero hospitalisations found in the people who took the vaccine globally.</p>.<p>"The efficacy results of the vaccine are quite high if it is administered in 2-doses within a gap of 2 – 3months," Poonawalla said.</p>