More clarity on ZyCOV-D vaccine price by next week, says Zydus Group MD Sharvil Patel

New Delhi: There will be more clarity on the price of its COVID-19 vaccine ZyCOV-D by next week, said Managing Director of Zydus Group Dr Sharvil Patel on Saturday.

The Ahmedabad-based pharma company has received approval from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) for ZyCOV-D, the world's first and India's indigenously developed DNA-based vaccine for COVID-19 which will be administered in humans including adults and children 12 years and above.

Asked about the mass supply of the vaccine, Patel said, "The supply of vaccine will begin by mid-September and from October onwards, the supply will be scaled up to one crore doses per month."

"There will be more clarity about the price of the ZyCOV-D vaccine by next week," he added.

As ZyCOV-D has received emergency use authorisation (EUA) approval, the pharma company is aiming to increase the production of the vaccine up to 1 crore doses per month from October with the help of the new production plant.

"ZyCOV-D is the three-dose vaccine given on day one, then the second dose will be on 28th day and then the last dose on 56th day. This vaccine is approved for adults and adolescents above the age of 12," he further said.

"The company also plans to seek approval for the two-dose regimen of the vaccine," Patel added.

According to the last press statement by Zydus Cadila, they announced that once they get clearance then they are expected to supply 5 crores doses per month till December 21.

Patel said that they are expecting to scale up 1 crore doses per month from October and the company will supply 4-5 crore doses per month till January 2022.

"We can scale up production of a vaccine to 1 crore a month from October at the new production plant and it is expected to supply 4-5 million doses till January 2022," the Zydus Group's Managing Director said.

"The efficacy of COVID-19 vaccine is over 66 per cent and its efficacy against Delta variant is about 66 per cent," he added.