New Delhi
Pune-based Serum Institute of India’s plans to manufacture vaccines in the UK was conveyed to PM Modi by none other than the his British counterpart Boris Johnson at the India-UK virtual summit on Tuesday.
Headed by chief executive officer Adar Poonawala, the SII is the world’s largest vaccine maker by volume, and has led in producing the lower-cost AstraZeneca coronavirus shot. The institute makes 60-70 million doses a month, and is aiming for 100 million doses by July.
Johnson’s Downing Street office said the £240 million ($334 million) project would include a sales office, “clinical trials, research and development and possibly manufacturing of vaccines”.
“The sales office is expected to generate business worth over £1 billion, £200 million of which will be invested in the UK. Serum’s investment will support clinical trials, research and development and possibly manufacturing of vaccines,” said the Downing Street statement.
“The Serum investment will support clinical trials, research and development, and possibly manufacturing of vaccines. Serum has already started phase one trials in the UK of a one-dose nasal vaccine for coronavirus, in partnership with Codagenix INC,” the statement said.
About SII talking of Covishield manufacturing in the UK, Sandeep Chakravarty, joint secretary (Europe West division, MEA) told a special briefing on the India-UK virtual summit, “Vaccine is of course an important area of bilateral discussion. UK Prime Minister Johnson did mention and informed PM Modi SII is investing in UK and will be manufacturing vaccines here and referred to research and collaboration on the nasal vaccines. PM Johnson said the Covishield vaccine manufactured in Whales is actually bottled by an Indian firm from Mumbai, Workhardt. India is the second largest investor in UK. So, these investment proposals are actually part of the normal interaction between the two countries.
MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi on if the authorities will look into threatening phone calls received by Aadar Poonawala but spared his colleague the trouble to answer it “given the nature of the query.”
The MEA described the India-UK virtual summit as an important milestone with a roadmap to transform India-UK relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership and boost cooperation in key areas, including defence, security, trade and healthcare and a commitment to double the bilateral trade by 2030.
Sandeep Chakravarty said Modi thanked PM Johnson for the prompt medical assistance provided by the UK.
PM proposed joint centre of excellence on green hydrogen, which was also accepted. An MoU was signed at the virtual meet; 2 of the 9 MoUs relate to Pharmacopoeial Cooperation between the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission and the British Pharmacopoeia and in the field of medical products regulation between the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and India’s Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation.
If the extradition of fugitives — Vijay Mallay and Nirav Modi — was discussed, the MEA said they discussed extradition of economic offenders. During the meet PM Modi said economic offenders should be sent back to India at earliest for trial.
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