India’s Cadila Healthcare has started producing its potential COVID-19 vaccine for which it will seek emergency use authorization in May or June, its managing director was quoted as saying, with an aim to make up to 240 million doses a year.
Its DNA plasmid product – which involves the injection of a small part of the virus’s genetic code (DNA or RNA) to stimulate immune response in the recipient – is currently meant to be given in three doses but the company is also doing trials on a two-dose regimen.
“We have just started producing doses of ZyCoV-D,” Sharvil Patel said, “But it is not meaningfully large.” He said the aim was to produce 10 million doses a month starting June, taking the in-house annual capacity to 120 million. The rest of the production, as required, will mainly come from third-party producers. “We are already talking with two other manufacturers. We will slowly add more manufacturers,” Patel added.
Last updated: December 26th, 2025
