Zydus Cadila's needle free vaccine for COVID-19 to bring down price at Rs 265 per dose
image for illustrative purpose
Zydus Cadila has agreed to bring down the price of its COVID-19 vaccine to Rs 265 a dose following persistent negotiations by the government but a final deal is yet to be reached, sources said on Sunday.
Zydus Cadila's ZyCov-D is the first vaccine cleared by India's drug regulator for inoculation of those aged 12 years and above.
To administer the needle-free vaccine, a disposable painless jet applicator costing Rs 93 is required for each dose, which would take the price to Rs 358 per dose.
The Ahmedabad-based pharma company earlier had proposed a price of Rs 1,900 for its three-dose regimen, sources said.
"The company has brought down the price to Rs 358 for each dose which includes Rs 93, the cost of a disposable jet applicator, following repeated negotiations by the government.... A final decision in the matter is likely to be taken this week," a source in the know of developments told PTI.
The three doses are to be administered 28 days apart, with each dose comprising a shot in both arms.
The indigenously developed world's first DNA-based needle-free COVID-19 vaccine ZyCoV-D received emergency use authorisation from the drug regulator on August 20.
