Bharat Biotech plans more vaccine from Bengaluru unit

Bharat Biotech is preparing to increase production of its indigenously developed Covid-19 vaccine by using its Bengaluru plant, which was set up to produce vaccines for animals. “The vaccines for animals will have to wait as the company plans to utilise its Bengaluru facility to ramp up production of Covaxin with India seeing a spurt in Covid-19 cases,” said a senior government official.

Bharat Biotech has written to the department of biotechnology for funds to expand its manufacturing capacities. “The company has asked for ₹150 crore — ₹75 crore each for both facilities — Hyderabad and Bengaluru,” added the official. “Once production starts at the Bengaluru facility, the capacity is expected to increase manifold, at least 5-7 times.” Bharat Biotech currently produces 5 million doses of Covaxin a month.

The government has formed an inter-ministerial group to look at ways to augment Covid-19 vaccine manufacturing capacities in the country. The group visited the Hyderabad and Bengaluru plants of Bharat Biotech to understand the challenges that the company faces in scaling up vaccine production.


The group has been asked to engage with vaccine manufacturers to facilitate rapid upscaling of manufacturing capacities. The group comprises officials from the health ministry, department of pharmaceuticals, Drug Controller General of India, department of biotechnology and the Indian Council of Medical Research.

“Both the companies need funds to accelerate their production capacity. Bharat Biotech has written to DBT asking for financial support. They need funds to procure raw material and for new equipment. It’s a heavy expenditure on them and hence they need the government’s support,” the official said. “The vaccine manufacturers have been asked to ramp up vaccine production. By the second half of the year, the annual capacity should increase to 2-2.5 billion doses per year,” an official said.