Bharat Biotech has written to the central government to seek funds worth Rs 100 crore to ramp up production of the coronavirus vaccine, 'Covaxin'. Sources also confirmed to India Today TV that the Serum Institute of India (SII) has also verbally requested for funds from the government's Covid Suraksha scheme to increase their production.

a close up of a hand holding a glass: Indian pharma firms Bharat Biotech, SII seek funds worth ₹100 crore to ramp up Covid vaccine production

Currently, Bharat Biotech is producing 4 million doses of Covaxin per month at their Hyderabad-based plant. A government-appointed inter-ministerial panel on vaccine manufacturing and scaling up of production has reviewed the manufacturing facility of Bharat Biotech.

Serum Institute had planned ramping up production to produce 100 million doses of Covishield by March 2021. The inter-ministerial group had also visited Serum Institute of India's production manufacturing plant in Pune on March 21 regarding their ramping up of production.

Department of Biotechnology Secretary Renu Swarup has said that the government is ready to provide assistance under the Covid Suraksha scheme. Swarup emphasised that the scheme is meant to support the research and development of coronavirus vaccines.

Mission Covid Suraksha was launched by the central government in November 2020 to help accelerate the development of approximately five-six vaccine candidates and ensure that these are brought closer to licensure and introduction in the market.

(With inputs from agencies)