COVID-19 Vaccine Update: Covaxin, Sputnik V to be manufactured in Karnataka soon

Shilpa Medicare, via its subsidiary, has entered into a three-year agreement with Dr Reddy's Laboratories for production-supply of the Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine from its integrated biologics R&D-cum-manufacturing unit in Dharwad, Karnataka (Representative image: Sputnik V)

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26 Aug, 2025 12:21

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Karnataka is set to house manufacturing units of Covaxin and Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccines amid a shortage of doses.

While Bharat Biotech's Covaxin manufacturing facility is under construction in Kolar district's Malur town, drug firm Shilpa Medicare, via its wholly-owned subsidiary Shilpa Biologicals Pvt. Ltd. (SBPL), has entered into a three-year definitive agreement with Dr. Reddy's Laboratories (DRL) for production and supply of the Russian-made Sputnik V vaccine from its integrated biologics R&D-cum-manufacturing center in Dharwad.

According to state Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar, the Kolar vaccine manufacturing facility will have a production capacity of four-five crore doses per month by August-end.

Talking to reporters in Bengaluru on May 17, Sudhakar said he held a video conference with Bharat Biotech founder Dr Krishna Ella, his daughter Dr Jala Ella and rest of the team. "Dr Ella has assured me that their facility at Malur in Kolar will be able to produce one crore vaccines by June-end. By July-end it will be by two to three crores, and their target by August-end is four crore to five crore vaccine doses," Sudhakar said.

The minister further said that Dr Krishna Ella and Bharat Biotech's directors had assured him that they will supply vaccine doses to Karnataka at the earliest. Sudhakar said he had asked them to provide a rollout schedule.

Meanwhile, SBPL said in a regulatory filing that its targeted production of the dual vector Sputnik V for the first 12 months is 50 million doses from the beginning of commercial manufacturing.

DRL soft-launched imported COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V on May 14. The vaccine is priced at Rs 948, with five percent GST per dose (retail price of Rs 995.40).

Shilpa Medicare said DRL will facilitate the transfer of technology to SBPL. Under the agreement, SBPL will be responsible for manufacturing, while DRL will be responsible for distribution/marketing of the vaccine doses in its marketing territories.

Shilpa Medicare said the companies are also exploring the option to manufacture Sputnik Light, a single-dose version of the Sputnik V vaccine in the near future.

Karnataka has so far conducted over 1.13 crore inoculations of the novel coronavirus vaccines. This number includes both the first and the second dose. However, it has suspended the vaccination drive for people between the 18-44 age group due to shortage of doses.

India is witnessing a second wave of COVID-19 infections and rapid mass inoculation is being seen as an effective way to curb further spread of the pandemic.