India’s Cipla gets nod to distribute Moderna’s COVID vaccine

India drugmaker gets approval to distribute partner’s vaccine, clearing way for India’s first mRNA jab to be imported.

Indian drugmaker Cipla Ltd has received regulatory approval to distribute partner Moderna Inc’s COVID-19 vaccine in the country, a senior government official said, clearing the way for India’s first mRNA shot to be imported. Moderna’s vaccine will be the fourth shot authorised for use in India, after AstraZeneca and partner Serum Institute of India’s Covishield, Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin and Sputnik V developed by Russia’s Gamaleya Institute. “Our vaccine basket is now richer by this addition,” government official Vinod Kumar Paul said at a news briefing on Tuesday, adding the government remained in talks with Pfizer over the drugmaker’s vaccine.