India's Hester Biosciences hits record high on COVID-19 vaccine production plan

Hester Biosciences

17/05/2021 09:06

** Shares of Indian animal healthcare co  HEST.NS  rise as
much as 19.2% to a record high of 2,950 rupees
    ** Co said on Saturday a tri-party consortium has been
formed with Gujarat government as lead partner, to explore
prospects of manufacturing COVID-19 vaccine through technology
transfer from Bharat Biotech (https://bit.ly/3butnpI)
    ** Discussions are currently ongoing with Bharat Biotech
towards reviewing the infrastructure at Hester, the technology
adaption process and the regulatory compliances - Rajiv Gandhi,
CEO, MD
    ** India has so far used two vaccines, one developed by
AstraZeneca  AZN.L  and Oxford University, and the other by
domestic firm Bharat Biotech
    ** Last week, Indian pharmaceutical firm Dr. Reddy's
Laboratories  REDY.NS  said first dose of Sputnik V was
administered in Hyderabad as part of a limited pilot
 urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL4N2N12T9
    ** On Monday, another Indian drugmaker, Shilpa Medicare
 SHME.NS , said its unit entered a three-year agreement with Dr.
Reddy's to produce and supply the Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine
 urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL3N2N41GR
    ** HEST in April said it was collaborating with Indian
Institute of Technology (IIT) in Guwahati to develop a COVID-19
vaccine  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nFWN2CH010
    ** New infections in India over the past 24 hours were at
281,386 on Monday, while daily death count stood at 4,106,
according to health ministry 
    ** HEST shares up 65.8% so far this year

 (Reporting by Nallur Sethuraman in Bengaluru)
 ((Sethuraman.NR@thomsonreuters.com; (Within U.S.
1-646-223-8780, Outside U.S. +91 8067496031); Reuters Messaging:
nallur.sethuraman.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))