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DBT to fund Bharat Biotech to augment Covaxin capacity

DBT provides financial support to augment  Manufacturing Capacity of COVAXIN 

The Department of Biotechnology, Government of India, has announced that it is providing financial support as Grant to vaccine manufacturing facilities for enhanced production capacities. The current production capacity of indigenously developed Covaxin vaccine will be doubled by May-June 2021 and then increased nearly 6-7 fold by July - August 2021 i.e increasing the production from 1 crore vaccine doses in April, 2021 to 6-7 crore vaccine dose/month in July – August. It is expected to reach nearly 10 crore doses per month by Sep 2021.
The announcement is part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat 3.0 Mission COVID Suraksha scheme which was announced by the Government of India to accelerate the development and production of Indigenous COVID Vaccines. This is being implemented by Department of Biotechnology Government of India.

Few weeks back, Inter-ministerial teams had visited the sites of two main vaccine manufacturers in India to get their inputs on how production can be ramped up. In this period, there have been extensive reviews and feasibility studies on the plans being discussed with vaccine manufacturers.
As a part this augmentation plan, capacities of Bharat Biotech Limited, Hyderabad as well as other public sector manufacturers are being upgraded with required infrastructure and technology. Financial support is being provided as grant from DBT to the tune of appx Rs 65 Crore to Bharat Biotech’s new Bangalore facility which is being repurposed to increase the capacity of vaccine production.
Three public sectors companies are also being supported to increase the capacity of vaccine production.

- Haffkine Biopharmaceutical Corporation Ltd, Mumbai, a State PSE under State Govt of Maharashtra, will receive financial support as grant to the tune of approximately Rs 65 Crore. This will be provided for a facility to be made ready for manufacturing. The Haffkine Biopharmaceuticals Ltd had asked for around 12 months to complete this task. However, the Central government has asked them to expedite and complete the task urgently within six months. The facility will have a capacity of 20 million dozes per month, once functional.

- Indian Immunologicals Limited (IIL), Hyderabad, a facility under National Dairy Development Board as well as Bharat Immunologicals and Biologicals Limited (BIBCOL), Bulandshahr, a CPSE under Department of Biotechnology, Govt of India will also be supported to prepare their facility to provide 10-15 million dozes per month by Aug - Sep 2021.
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Source: DBT release

Bharat Biotech, Haffkine Biopharma, Indian Immunologicals, and BIBCOL to enhance production of indigenous vaccine Covaxin. India aims to produce 10 crore (100 million) doses by September 2021.