Philippines, Bharat Biotech in talks for at least 8M vaccine supplies from India

The Philippines and Indian firm Bharat Biotech are negotiating for the government to secure at least 8 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines, according to Indian Ambassador to the Philippines Shambhu Kumaran on Wednesday.

Kumaran said the government is in talks with Bharat Biotech as it waits for its emergency use authorization (EUA) for Covaxin from the Philippine Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

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“There are ongoing conversations for a supply for Covaxin which can range anywhere from 8 million doses upwards. I don’t think we are in a position to be signing anything yet,” he said in an ANC interview.

The ambassador clarified that formal negotiations have not yet begun as Bharat Biotech only submitted its Phase 3 clinical trial data to the FDA in March 9.

“The company has had one or two presentations with the FDA, but the commercial negotiations, which involve signing of a term sheet and then eventually moving to a contract, those are still pending,” he said.

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Philippines, Bharat Biotech in talks for at least 8M vaccine supplies from India

“Once we close the contract, the nature of the vaccine requires at least 45 days for the production to be completed. We could look at 8 to 20 million over the next year and a half, but how much of that will come early is actually the big question,” he added.

Bharat BioTech has applied for an emergency use authorization (EUA) for its COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin in January.

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“They submitted an application this morning,” FDA Director-General Eric Domingo told GMA News Online in a text message.

“Pre-evaluation [of their application] is going on,” Domingo added.

Covaxin has 81% efficacy in preventing symptomatic COVID-19 in an interim analysis of a late-stage trial in India.

“COVAXIN demonstrates high clinical efficacy trend against COVID-19 but also significant immunogenicity against the rapidly emerging variants,” Bharat Biotech Chairman Krishna Ella said in a statement.

According to Reuters, only about 11% of the more than 10 million Indians vaccinated had taken the Bharat Biotech shot as of last week.

Also read: COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila over 1,000 in past 5 days