Beximco Pharmaceuticals Ltd. is anticipating “some delays” in vaccine supplies as the Serum Institute of India is unable to make its planned monthly deliveries, the drugmaker said in a filing to the London Stock Exchange on Wednesday.
Following a surge in COVID-19 cases in India, the Modi administration put temporary controls on vaccine exports, halting shipments to Bangladesh and other countries.
SII is required to deliver 30 million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine to Bangladesh in monthly instalments and has so far delivered 7 million doses, reports bdnews24.com.
Beximco Pharma “does not anticipate that SII will be able to supply all of the remaining 23 million doses before the planned date at the end of June 2021”, according to the filing.
“The company will collaborate with SII to provide a revised supply schedule once the temporary export controls are relaxed,” Beximco Pharma said.
In addition, the previously announced plans to distribute one million doses for the private pay market in Bangladesh are on hold, Beximco Pharma said. “The company will review whether to resume these plans once vaccine supplies stabilise.”
