Representatives from the Health Ministry, Russian Institute Gamaleya—manufacturer of vaccine Sputnik V—and Indian laboratory Bharat Biotech—supplier of vaccine Covaxin—are gathering next Friday (Feb. 5) to negotiate the acquisition of another 30 million doses of vaccines against COVID-19.
According to the Health Ministry, the progress made in the talks came about after Brazil’s national sanitary regulator Anvisa authorized the new protocol with a simplified concession process on the emergency and temporary use of vaccines, waiving the execution of phase 3 clinical studies in Brazil. The ministry expected to gain access to the vaccines still this month.
Also to be discussed at the meeting are the delivery schedule and the dose values.
Russian pharmaceutical company Gamaleya, which installed a production line in Brazil’s Federal District, declared to the Health Ministry that, should there be a deal, the company could deliver 10 million doses of Sputnik V, imported from Russia in February and March. The Russian firm reported it should start producing the active pharmaceutical ingredient and 8 million doses in Brazil in April.
Indian laboratory Bharat Biotech also said he believes in the success of negotiations with the Brazilian government, and that it could deliver 8 million doses of Covaxin this month. The company said it can also deliver another 12 million doses in March.
