Bharat Biotech signs agreement to supply Covaxin to Brazil

Bharat Biotech International Limited (BBIL) has announced an agreement with Precisa Medicamentos, a private pharma procurement firm, for the supply of Covaxin to Brazil.

BBIL sources told DH that the initial agreement is to supply 12 million doses, though not confirming the time by when the first delivery would be made.

BBIL officials also said that Ambassador of Brazil to India André Aranha Corrêa do Lago "has expressed keen interest on behalf of the government of Brazil, towards Covaxin procurement".

The largest Latin American nation is one of the worst affected countries by the pandemic.

Covaxin is India’s first indigenously developed vaccine for Covid-19, presently undergoing Phase III clinical trials, with the participation of about 26,000 volunteers across India.

Representatives of Precisa Medicamentos visited BBIL and met Dr Krishna Ella, CMD, on January 7th and 8th. The discussion was joined virtually by Ambassador of Brazil to India André Aranha Corrêa do Lago.

“In principle, it is understood between both parties that Covaxin supplies would be prioritised for the public market, through a direct procurement by Brazil government. Supplies to the private market would be based upon receipt of market authorisation from ANVISA, the Brazilian regulatory authority,” BBIL said in a press statement on Tuesday.

"Our goal for all vaccines developed at Bharat Biotech is to provide global access to populations that need it the most. Covaxin has generated excellent safety data with robust immune responses to multiple viral proteins that persist. We are happy to note that vaccines innovated in India are able to address the public health needs of Brazil,” Dr Ella said.

Covaxin is an outcome of a PPP between BBIL, Indian Council of Medical Research - National Institute of Virology. The inactivated two-dose SARS-CoV-2 vaccine is manufactured in Bharat Biotech's Bio-Safety Level 3 bio-containment facility at Genome Valley in Hyderabad.

Covaxin was evaluated in about 1000 subjects in Phase I and II clinical trials, “with promising safety and immunogenicity results”.