IIL to produce drug substance for Covaxin from June

Indian Immunologicals Ltd (IIL) has announced its plans to begin the production of drug substance meant for COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin from June 15, and despatch the first batch to Bharat Biotech by July.

K Anand Kumar, MD, IILs in a release said the firm is expected to produce the drug substance initially for two to three million doses per month.

It will be scaled up to seven million later in the year and eventually to 15 million.

To further increase the COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing capacity, Bharat Biotech had said it partnered with IIL to make the drug substance for Covaxin.

The technology transfer process was well underway and IIL has the capabilities and expertise to manufacture inactivated viral vaccines at commercial scale and under biosafety containment, the drug had said.

Kumar said IIL is converting its Karkapatla manufacturing unit near here into a Biosafety Level -3 (BSL3) facility for the production of the drug substance and also taking up construction of another block.

IIL is also working on another COVID -19 vaccine and the animal trials are underway and is expected to come out next year for human vaccination, he noted.

(Edits by EP News Bureau)