Russia signs deal with India to produce 100 million Sputnik V annual doses
Moscow, Apr 5 (efe-epa).- The Russian Direct Investment Fund on Monday announced an agreement with the Indian Panacea Biotec to produce 100 million annual doses of the Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine.
The deal would allow RDIF to provide its international partners with the jab, the Russian sovereign fund said in a statement.
India is one of the first countries Russia has approached to manufacture the vaccine, approved by 59 countries.
“We are pleased to collaborate with RDIF to produce Sputnik V for global markets,” Managing Director of Panacea Biotec Rajesh Jain said according to the statement.
“Panacea Biotec brings decades of vaccine manufacturing and distribution know-how to scale-up Sputnik V supplies. Panacea Biotec will produce Sputnik V in its internationally accredited facilities complying to strict GMP standards and prequalified by WHO,” he added.
RDIF CEO Kirill Dmitriev said: “cooperation with Panacea Biotec is an important step to produce the vaccine in India and to supply our international partners around the world.”
Last week, Dmitriev notified the Russian president Vladimir Putin that India and South Korea are producing the vaccine and that the RDIF has signed agreements with a dozen countries.
The overseas-manufactured doses can be administered to Russians as well as other countries’ populations, Dmitriev added.
Russia is awaiting the arrival of a European Medicines Agency delegation which could conclude the vaccine approval process that started in early March. EFE-EPA
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