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While the Russian state wealth fund, which supports the development of the Russian coronavirus vaccine and is responsible for organizing domestic and foreign production, wants to supply nearly a tenth of the world’s population with this vaccine, the start of the production is slow. Fewer vaccines from Sputnik could reach Hungary than planned.
The Russian leadership plans that the domestically developed Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine will be produced by pharmaceutical manufacturers around the world, which will allow this vaccine to be inserted into almost a tenth of the world’s population, around 700 million people. . Their problem is that the start of production is delayed by several months, while many countries, including Hungary, have been promised significant shipments of the vaccine, reports the Financial Times.
The development of the vaccine was funded by the Kremlin through the State Wealth Fund (RDIF), but Russia does not have enough production capacity to meet the huge demand. Therefore, they work with Brazil, India, South Korea, Iran, and other partners. There are different problems in different places to run production and ensure quality, which is inevitable for any product if outside partners are involved in production, says Ramus Bech Hansen, founder of London-based analytics firm Airfinity.
Great project
RDIF, which has been entrusted with managing Sputnik V abroad, informed the British business daily that it had signed contracts with 15 manufacturers in ten countries around the world to produce 1.4 billion doses. Due to the two stab wounds, that would be enough for 700 million people. As a result, foreign partners would produce more than twice as much product as Russian companies. Vaccines manufactured abroad would be sold in additional foreign markets, with the exception of some countries, such as Brazil and Serbia, which will be produced to meet national needs.
A few months ago, Russian state television claimed that Sputnik was as simple and reliable as the Kalashnikov assault rifle. Therefore, it can be as successful in the world market as the legendary weapon. This was also signed by Western experts after some hesitation. A dose of Sputnik costs $ 10 (about $ 3,000) and does not require freezing like many other vaccines. Elvan plus 2-8 degrees Celsius, that is, in a normal refrigerator, which can make it attractive for countries with poor infrastructure (such as Kalashnikov). Thus, it could be a tool for Russian diplomatic efforts to strengthen Moscow’s influence beyond Russia’s borders.
Falling behind everywhere
Indian company Hetero Drugs, which has committed to producing more than 100 million doses of Sputnik per year, is still awaiting permission from the national drug authority before starting the test plant, which will take time, Financial learned. Tmes from a source close to the case. Uniao Química, RDIF’s Brazilian partner, is currently in pilot production and is expected to increase production to eight million doses per month starting in April. Meanwhile, they are negotiating the import of 10 million doses from Russia over the next six weeks. South Korean pharmaceutical manufacturer GL Rapha, which plans to produce the Russian vaccine exclusively for export, has reported that it does not have the capacity to produce the 150 million doses agreed with RDIF. Therefore, it involves subcontractors and expands its plant.
Airfinity estimates that a total of eight million doses of Sputnik have been inserted into humans so far, while Pfizer in the United States has 65 million doses. Hansen does not consider the 700 million plan realistic. His company’s experts estimate that 380 million could be reunited in 2021, provided that production in India increases rapidly. Kirill Dmitrijev, director of RDIF, does not comment on the current production situation and promises to report on it in March.
Slow start
In Russia, six pharmaceutical companies are producing the national vaccine, while two more are negotiating to enter the business. What comes from these, they want to insert people almost entirely in Russia, said Dmitrijev. Starting in June, exports could be considered if Russia’s needs have been addressed. National production was not smooth either. 30 million doses were planned to be produced by the end of 2020, but only 2.5 million of these were produced after rural producers struggled to obtain the necessary production equipment. According to Dmitrijev, they are out of trouble and will produce 33 million doses in Russia by the end of March.
The director denied that there were already problems with care, despite the fact that, according to Hungarian sources, Hungary will receive only 100,000 doses of Sputnik in February instead of the planned 300,000. According to Dmitrijev, the Hungarian deliveries will be carried out according to plan. He added that “soon” other EU member states will also buy Russian vaccines. RDIF is also ready to ship directly to the EU and has launched a licensing process for Sputnik with the EU Medicines Authority. According to Dmitryev, there are several pharmaceutical factories in the EU that would like to be involved in the production of Russian vaccines.
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