Pfizer, Moderna to get COVID vaccine ingredient from VAV Lifesciences
Phospholipids are crucial biomolecules used in manufacturing of mRNA-based Covid-19 vaccines.
New Delhi: Biopharmaceutical firm VAV Lifesciences has signed an agreement to supply phospholipids, a crucial ingredient in the mRNA-based Covid-19 vaccines, with an American contract development and manufacturing firm which makes vaccines for multinational pharma giants Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna.
Mumbai-based VAV Lifesciences is the only domestic firm in the Covid-19 vaccine supply chain with this crucial ingredient. It can thus can play a vital role in the global mRNA-based vaccine supply chain, the company claimed in a statement.
The deal will be executed through its subsidiary VAV Lipids, which has entered into the agreement with a US-based contract development and manufacturing organisation to manufacture and supply the synthetic phospholipids to be used to to make Covid-19 vaccines.
The US firm will use the lipids made by VAV to produce gene-based lipid nanoparticles on behalf of the brand owners -- Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna.
VAV Lifesciences, the only domestic firm whose lipids will be used in the mRNA-LNP technology-based vaccines, has already initiated commercial supply of phospholipids for large-scale vaccine manufacturing through its EU cGMP certified facility being operated run by VAV Lipids at Ratnagiri in Maharashtra.
Phospholipids are crucial biomolecules used in manufacturing of mRNA-based Covid-19 vaccines.
These synthetic lipids are used in the formulation of lipid nanoparticles, which are very tiny lipid particles that enclose submicroscopic mRNA strands and can effectively deliver the mRNA to the target cellular sites and help bind these to the relevant cells.
VAV Lifesciences Managing Director Arun Kedia said each order volume is about 250 kg, roughly valued at Rs 50 lakh, and the company will manufacture all synthetic phospholipids at the Ratnagiri facility.
VAV Lifesciences produces high-grade ingredients used in the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, healthcare and personal care industry and is a leading manufacturer of phospholipids and lecithin.
Read also: Pfizer BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine third dose likely needed within 1 year: CEO Albert Bourla
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