Dr. Reddy's developing new treatment options for Covid-19, says MD

New Delhi: Drug major Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories is working on the development of new treatment options for COVID-19 patients which it aims to launch over the next few months while ensuring uninterrupted supplies of its existing range of products for the infectious disease in the market, according to a top company official.

The Hyderabad-based drug major has already launched the Sputnik V vaccine while partnering with various organisations, including the Defence Research and Development Organisation.

“We are motivated to serve patients in every possible way and with utmost urgency. This is reflected in the multiple collaborations we have entered to develop and commercialise a wide range of preventive and curative options for COVID treatment,” Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories co-chairman & managing director G V Prasad said in an analyst call.

The drug firm over the past few weeks has ramped up the supply of multiple medicines including Remdesivir to meet the surge in demand, he added.

“We are also working on the launch of newer treatment options, which we will bring to the market in the next few months. We have also ensured that supplies of our existing medicines continue uninterrupted and we continue to meet the market demand for all our markets,” Prasad noted.

Commenting on business opportunities arising from the Sputnik V, Dr Reddy’s CEO Erez Israeli said: “We have the rights for the first 250 million of doses for India which translates to 125 million patients. And the initial quantities will come from the imported route that will come out of Russia.” And in the meantime, the company has tied up with six contractors (manufacturing partners) to produce the product locally in India, he noted.

“In addition there are discussions with RDIF for Sputnik light as well as additional engagement for the future of India. And we are also in discussions with them about quantities and rights, assets permit for other countries. So this is the overall view that we have at this stage of Sputnik,” Israeli noted.

He noted that the intent is that India will be a big hub for Sputnik V.

The first consignment of imported doses of the Sputnik V vaccine landed in India on May 1, and received regulatory clearance from the Central Drugs Laboratory, Kasauli, on May 13, 2021.

As part of a limited pilot, the soft launch of the vaccine has commenced and the first dose of the vaccine was administered in Hyderabad.

Dr. Reddy’s had received permission from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) to import the Sputnik vaccine into India for restricted use in emergency situations in April.

The company had partnered with the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) to conduct the clinical trials of Sputnik V and distribute the vaccine in India in September 2020.

Sputnik V uses two different vectors for the two shots in a course of vaccination.

Its efficacy was determined to be 91.6 % as per a published article in the medical journal Lancet.