Bharat Biotech inks pact with Precisa to supply Covaxin to Brazil

The supplies of Covaxin will be prioritised for public market through direct procurement by Brazil government while the supplies to private market would be based upon receipt of market authorisation from the country's regulator

Hyderabad: Bharat Biotech signed an agreement with Precisa Medicamentos for the supplies of Covaxin to Brazil. A team from Precisa Medicamentos visited the Hyderabad-based company’s facility last week to discuss potential export possibilities of Covaxin.

The team met Dr Krishna Ella at Bharat Biotech on the 7th and 8th of January at the Bharat Biotech facility in Genome Valley, Hyderabad. During the discussion, the Ambassador of Brazil to India, André Aranha Corrêa do Lago joined on a virtual platform. He expressed his keen interest on behalf of the Government of Brazil, towards the procurement of Covaxin.

In principle, it is understood between both parties that supplies of Covaxin to be prioritised for the public market, through a direct procurement by the Government of Brazil. Supplies to the private market would be based upon receipt of market authorisation from ANVISA, the Brazilian regulatory authority.

The CMD of Bharat Biotech Dr Krishna Ella said, “The Covid-19 pandemic has affected humanity at large. As a company determined to protect global public health, it has always been important for us to develop vaccines for a global cause. Covaxin is an innovation and a perfect example of novel product development from India.”

“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, ” added Dr Ella.

After the technical visit to Bharat Biotech’s Genome Valley facility in Hyderabad, the pharmaceutical director of Precisa Medicamentos, Emanuela Medrades said, “We identified highly technological, scientific and sanitary control levels. There were also excellent outcomes in clinical trials, which will be published soon. Bharat Biotech has exceeded our expectations, demonstrating quality and safety at the level of the largest vaccine suppliers in the world.”

The phase III human clinical trials of Covaxin began mid-November and are currently ongoing in about 26,000 volunteers across India. Covaxin presented in multidose vials, can be stored at 2-8ºC.