Indian drugmaker Morepen Laboratories has started manufacturing the Russian Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine in an exclusive facility in Himachal Pradesh, stated the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF). 

The first test batch made by Morepen will be shipped to the Gamaleya Center for quality control. RDIF signed a cooperation agreement with Morepen Laboratories in June this year and both of them have been executing the technology transfer.

Sputnik V vaccine received an emergency use authorization (EUA) in India on April 12, 2021. India is a major manufacturing hub for Sputnik V. RDIF had earlier reached agreements with other leading Indian pharma companies, including Gland Pharma, Hetero Biopharma, Panacea Biotec, Stelis Biopharma and Virchow Biotech. Agreements with partners in India will allow the production of over 850 million doses of the vaccine in a year… (ET Healthworld, July 6, 2021)