Dr Reddy's to also use govt cold chain infra for Sputnik V distribution

 The vaccine would be transported in frozen form by air and road

Hyderabad-based Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories (DRL), the Indian partner for Russia’s Sputnik V, will use the government’s vaccination cold chain infrastructure, along with its own cold chain capabilities, for last-mile distribution of the vaccine in India.

Further, 60-70 percent of Sputnik V’s global production is set to take place in India, said DRL.

Sputnik V, a vaccine with 91.6 percent efficacy — the highest among Covid vaccines available in India — requires a temperature range of -18 degrees C to -22 degrees C to remain stable.

Deepak Sapra, CEO (API and Phar­maceutical Services), DRL, said they have already tested the cold chain infrastructure in India through simulations. “We have tested the cold chain in simulation scenarios — from Hyderabad to as far as Manipur in the north-east, Ladakh in the north, and Tamil Nadu in the south,” Sapra told reporters on Wednesday.

He added that Sputnik V would be imported in the frozen form from Russia this quarter. DRL is responsible for ensuring that the vaccine remains stable and sanctity of the cold chain maintained — from the manufacturing site in Russia to its cold chain point and eventually to all parts of India — the company said. “We have lined up a solution of compact boxes, using which the vaccine would be transported to various parts of India easily through a combination of air and road transport,” Sapra explained.

DRL will leverage the existing government cold chain infrastructure used in the national immunization mission as well as its own cold chain capabilities, he added. “We already have experience in cold chain handling for our critical care products, like oncology. We will leverage that too,” Sapra said.