Pfizer donates COVID-19 treatment drugs worth USD 70 million to India

Reportedly, American multinational pharmaceutical firm Pfizer Inc. has extended a helping hand to India in the battle against Covid-19, sending drugs worth USD 70 million to the country. The company is also in discussion with the Indian government to initiate an accelerated approval pathway to make its vaccines available for use in India.

Commenting on the move, Albert Bourla, CEO and Chairman at Pfizer, mentioned they are aware of how critical access to vaccines is to end this pandemic. Their vaccine is not registered in India though they had submitted the application months ago, he added.

Last month, the pharmaceutical giant offered the Indian government's immunization program a non-profit price for its COVID-19 vaccine.

A Pfizer spokesperson expressed they are in talks with the government and remain committed to making their vaccine available for use in India. The drugmaker also stated that its top priority is to help governments solely by providing its vaccine to them for their immunization programs.

It is worth noting that after failing to meet the drug regulator's demand for a local safety and immunogenicity review, the company withdrew an application for emergency-use authorization (EUA) of its COVID-19 vaccine in India in February.

However, the government recently renounced the obligation of presenting local bridge trial data upfront for vaccines permitted by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), UK MHRA, USFDA, or those listed with the WHO under Emergency Use Listing. The pharmaceutical firm is now entitled to seek EUA directly from the DCGI (Drugs Controller General of India) to import its COVID-19 vaccine.

The company is deeply concerned about the grave COVID-19 situation in India, and their hearts go out to all Indians, Bourla wrote in an email he posted on his LinkedIn page, sources confirmed.

The company would be sending drugs worth USD 70 million (over Rs 510 crore) to India from its distribution centers in Asia, Europe, and the United States, according to Bourla's email.

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