Moderna’s single-dose vaccine likely next year; Pfizer ready with 5cr doses for 2021

New Delhi

Moderna is expecting to launch a single-dose Covid-19 vaccine in India next year and is in talks with Cipla among other Indian firms, while another US giant Pfizer is ready to offer 5 crore shots in 2021 itself but it wants significant regulatory relaxations including indemnification, sources said on Tuesday.

While Moderna has conveyed to Indian authorities it does not have surplus vaccines to share in 2021, there are limited prospects of Johnson & Johnson exporting its jabs from the US to other countries in the near future, the sources added.

It is learnt Cipla has already evinced interest in procuring 5 crore doses from Moderna for 2022 and has requested confirmation from the central government in respect of stability in regulatory requirements/policy regime. The Health Ministry has also been asked to take an early decision on Cipla's request about support requ­i­red by them for procurement of Moderna vaccines.