Ukraine Health Minister visits Bharat Biotech vaccine plant at Hyderabad

New Delhi: A three-member, high-power delegation from Ukraine led by the country’s Health Minister Dr. Maksym Stepanov visited COVAXIN-maker Bharat Biotech’s manufacturing facility in Hyderabad. The representatives from the Central Asian nation of 41 million people took a tour of the world-class Bio-Safety Level 3 manufacturing facility. The delegation, which included Mr. Igor Ivashchenko, Deputy Minister of Health, Ukraine, and Mr. Ivan Konovalov, Head of Trade and Economic Dept, Embassy of Ukraine in India, had a discussion with Bharat Biotech’s leadership to secure the supplies of COVAXIN® to Ukraine.

Dr. Krishna Ella, Chairman and Managing Director, Bharat Biotech International Limited, said, “It was an absolute privilege to host the Minister of Health from Ukraine Dr. Maksym Stepanov at our state-of-the-art facility and showcase our world-class capabilities in the manufacture and supply of vaccines and research and product development. We discussed potential timelines for the supply of COVAXIN to Ukraine on a priority and the prospects of a partnership for our BBV 154 intranasal vaccine. There is a lot of interest in COVAXIN worldwide. As one of India’s top vaccine makers, we are at the forefront of humanity’s battle against Covid-19 and stand fully committed to meeting the vaccine requirements of various countries promptly and efficiently.”

Dr. Maksym Stepanov, Minister of Health, Ukraine, said, “Ukraine and India have a long history of cooperation in various matters. We look forward to benefiting from India’s vast capability in the manufacture of vaccines to effectively combat the Covid-19 pandemic at home. We had a very good interaction with the team at Bharat Biotech and it was a great experience to take a tour of the facility and inspect its impressive manufacturing capabilities. We will soon firm up the COVAXIN delivery plan for the mass vaccination of our people, and further strengthen our partnership on intranasal vaccine supplies after initial results from its phase 1 trials.”

Bharat Biotech is India’s leading vaccines and bio-therapeutics manufacturer renowned, among other things, for developing India’s first indigenous Covid-19 vaccine, COVAXIN. The company has established an excellent track record of innovation with more than 145 global patents, a wide product portfolio of more than 16 vaccines, 4 bio-therapeutics, registrations in more than 123 countries and WHO Pre-qualifications.

Located in Hyderabad’s Genome Valley, the hub for the global biotech industry, Bharat Biotech has delivered more than 4 billion doses of various vaccines around the world till now. It continues to lead innovation and has developed vaccines for influenza H1N1, Rotavirus, Japanese Encephalitis, Rabies, Chikungunya, Zika and the world’s first tetanus-toxoid conjugated vaccine for Typhoid.