Russia, South Korea to cooperate on production of Sputnik V COVID vaccine
The Russian vaccine, reported to have demonstrated a 92% efficiency against the coronavirus, is to be distributed to several countries around the world.
By OMRI RONCoronavirus vaccine under development (illustrative)(photo credit: DADO RUVIC/REUTERS)
The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) and South Korea's GL Rapha have agreed to produce over 150 million doses of Russia's Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine per year.The Russian vaccine, reported to have demonstrated a 92% efficiency against the coronavirus, is to be distributed to several countries worldwide among them Israel, South Korea, India, Brazil, China and others.Contracts for distribution such as the one signed with South Korea are expected to allow for the production of 500 million doses of the Sputnik V vaccine outside of Russia, while further contracts may increase Moscow's foreign production capacities.“Sputnik V is based on a safe and effective platform of human adenoviral vectors. The pandemic is far from over," RDIF CEO Kirill Dmitriev said."Now it is important to strengthen international cooperation and partnership and make sure that enough Sputnik V vaccine is produced. We are grateful to our partners in GL Rapha for their cooperation and joint effort,” he said.Sputnik V is currently among the World Health Organization's top-10 vaccine candidates nearing the end of clinical trials, joining those being developed by Novavax, Moderna and Pfizer.Clinical trials of Sputnik V have been announced in the UAE, India, Venezuela and Belarus.
