Zydus Cadila expects to launch its DNA COVID-19 vaccine in the first quarter of fiscal 2022 but it already has more advance purchase orders than it can produce. Meanwhile, the Indian firm is confident of saroglitazar being approved for primary biliary cholangitis in the US, with the NCE also poised to become the largest contributor to India sales in three to five years.

Zydus Cadila is to begin testing a three-dose recombinant DNA vaccine candidate in Phase III Indian trials, which might enter late-stage development ahead of Inovio and AnGes. The company promised to provide 100-150 million doses by end of 2021 at the J.P. Morgan Conference, though adherence could be a roadblock.

Multiple COVID-19 vaccines, including from J&J, Pfizer and RDIF, are seen gaining approvals in India in 2021, following on from a raft of R&D, manufacturing and marketing tie-ups, as well as other developments, in the action-packed field last year.