Russia says India will produce 300mn dose of Sputnik V each year

Developers of Russia’s Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine on Tuesday struck a deal with Indian vaccine maker Serum Institute to produce 300 million doses a year.

“The parties intend to produce more than 300 million doses of vaccine in India per year, with the first batch scheduled for September 2021,” the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) said in a statement .

Sputnik V was registered by Russia in August last year – the first of four vaccines developed in the country – and RDIF says it is approved for use in 67 countries.

Its development and hasty distribution for use before the final phase trials led to the initial score being received with skepticism.

Since then, Sputnik V has won over experts in a scientific and geopolitical victory for President Vladimir Putin, who announced late last month that he had been inoculated with the vaccine.

Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of RDIF, described the deal with Serum as “an important step” that would increase Sputnik V’s production capabilities and ultimately “save lives in India and around the world.”

He said that technology transfer had begun and joint production was expected to begin in the coming months.

Serum Institute CEO Adar Poonawalla said in the statement that as it had demonstrated “high efficacy and a good safety profile, it is essential that the Sputnik vaccine is fully accessible to people from all over the world.” India and the world “.

In January, RDIF, which helped fund Sputnik V, announced that it had applied for registration of the vaccine in the European Union.

© 2021 AFP