1 million doses of India vaccine in PH by April – Concepcion

MANILA, Philippines — Presidential adviser for entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion on Wednesday said the private sector may start receiving a million doses of India’s COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin next month.

“Adding to our AstraZeneca, Moderna, and Novavax doses, Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin will enter the country, boosting our national vaccination program. Having talked with Ambica and IP Biotech, the distributor for the Covaxin, the private sector is expected to receive one million doses starting April, May, and June,” Concepcion said in a statement.

The price of the Covaxin vaccines to be delivered, however, is still under negotiation, the businessman added.

Earlier this month, Bharat Biotech announced the results of its phase 3 clinical trial for Covaxin involving 25,800 subjects, saying it “demonstrated 81 percent interim efficacy in preventing COVID-19 in those without prior infection after the second dose.” A briefing will be held on Thursday as “a chance for companies that have not yet secured their doses to know more about the Covaxin and procure their doses as deemed necessary,” he added. “Covaxin is promising as it shows an 81 percent efficacy and was even the vaccine used by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.”

Raches Ella, who head Bharat Biotech’s business development and advocacy unit, is expected to discuss the vaccine’s technical attributes and will be joined Dr. Noel Miranda, IP Biotech scientific advisor, who can help answer questions from private sector participants.