In a move to provide potential COVID-19 vaccine, Serum Institute of India (SII) on Tuesday said that it will produce up to 100 million additional vaccine doses for India and other low and middle-income countries in 2021, news agency ANI reported.

SII informed that it would get a further $150 million funding from Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI). 

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Earlier in August, the SII had announced up to 100 million doses that would be delivered by the collaboration. The expanded deal will now cover a total of 200 million vaccine doses.

“The expansion follows August’s announcement of up to 100 million doses to be delivered by the collaboration, bringing the total now to be delivered by the partnership to up to 200 million doses of #COVID19 vaccines,” SII said in a statement on Tuesday.

SII is the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer by the number of doses produced and sold worldwide. Vaccines manufactured by the SII are used in nearly 170 countries globally.

Meanwhile, COVID-19 cases in India crossed the 6.1 million mark on Monday and the death toll has reached 96,318.