The Company is one of the most active news providers amongst the Indian pharma players.
It has now informed that its COVID-19 vaccine UB-612 programme hasn’t progressed, as its partner Vaxxinity failed to secure the emergency use authorization (EUA) in Taiwan.
Key points to note –
- Approval in Taiwan was denied in August as the vaccine failed to meet two efficacy standards.
- Aurobindo had entered into licensing agreement in December 2020 with Vaxxinity and was banking on this approval to develop, manufacture and commercialise the COVID vaccine in India and other countries.
- The Company plans to appeal this rejection and also explore approval in few other jurisdictions.
- The Indian trials of UB-612 have not yet taken off despite getting a go ahead to conduct Phase II and Phase III clinical trials in June this year.
- Aurobindo has set up a new facility to manufacture viral vector vaccines with an investment of Rs 250-Rs 275 crore. The company said its facility will have the capacity to manufacture 400 – 450 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines.
Given the track record and the regularity with which Aurobindo provides news in the market, I will increasingly start analysing this company on actual execution and not on future visions/ announcements.