Pune’s Serum Institute of India (SII) has entered into a new partnership with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to produce up to 100 million Covid-19 vaccine doses for India and low-and middle-income countries.
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, via its Strategic Investment Fund, will provide at-risk funding of US$150 million to Gavi, which will be used to support Serum Insitute Of India to manufacture the potential vaccine candidates.
The vaccines will be priced at maximum US$ 3 per dose and will be made available to the 92 countries included in Gavi’s COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC).
“I would like to thank @BillGates, @gatesfoundation, @GaviSeth for this key partnership of risk sharing and manufacturing of a 100 million doses, which will also ensure equitable access at an affordable price to many countries around the world.” Adar Poonawalla, CEO and Owner, Serum Institute of India said in a tweet.
