Bharat Biotech International Pvt. Ltd, on Sunday, rolled out the first commercial batch of Covaxin in Ankleshwar, Gujarat.
The vaccine has been manufactured at the plant’s Chiron Behring facility at Ankleshwar. According to sources, the vaccine will be available from next month.
The government had earlier this month given approval to Bharat Biotech's Ankleshwar-based manufacturing plant.
Sources said Bharat Biotech International Pvt. Ltd has set up several production lines at its facilities in Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Pune, aimed at increasing the capacity of Covaxin production.
Speaking on the occasion, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said the facility at Ankleshwar will help in increasing the vaccine production and it will be possible to reach out to every Indian.
"Vaccination is the most important thing to strengthen the country's fight against coronavirus. Released the first commercial batch of #COVAXIN from Bharat Biotech's plant at Ankleshwar, Gujarat today. This will increase the supply of vaccine in the country and will help the vaccine reach every Indian," Mandaviya tweeted soon after the event.
In May, Bharat Biotech announced that it planned to produce an additional 200 million doses of Covaxin at its subsidiary's Ankleshwar-based facility. The Hyderabad-based firm had noted that it would utilise the manufacturing plant of its wholly-owned unit, Chiron Behring, to add another 200 million doses of Covaxin.
—With PTI inputs
