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The Sputnik V vaccine financing unit is in talks with Chinese partners to begin production of the vaccine in November.
“The mass production of Sputnik V vaccine in China and other countries can start with the cooperation of local partners. China has the ability to produce and supply vaccines, not only domestically but also by how to export to other countries in Asia.” Kirill Dmitriev, director of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), which finances the Sputnik V vaccine, said in an exclusive interview with Global times August 31st.
Russia announced on August 11 the successful development of the world’s first Covid-19 vaccine, Sputnik V, developed by the Gamaleya National Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology and the Russian Ministry of Defense.
Dmitriev said the first batch of vaccine has already been produced and mass production is expected to start in September. “Our Chinese partners can complete the technology transfer and start production. Launch of the Sputnik V vaccine from November,” Dmitriev said, but did not mention the specific name of the partner.
A technician works at CanSino Biologics’ vaccine manufacturing plant in Tianjin, China in 2018. Photo: Reuters.
Dmitriev said Russia has received requests for more than 1 billion doses of vaccines from 20 countries and regions and is preparing to produce more than 500 million doses a year in five countries. Several countries in Latin America, the Middle East, Asia and Africa are eager to buy vaccines, with some contracts already finalized.
Dmitriev himself and his family were vaccinated with the Sputnik V vaccine and relied on the vaccine developed by the Gamaleya Institute because it is based on the safest technology available today. An anonymous Beijing-based expert said Chinese biopharmaceutical company CanSino Biologics could be a potential candidate for the Russian partner in vaccine production. “But that does not rule out the possibility of other Chinese companies cooperating in the Sputnik V project, such as Fosun Pharmaceutical,” said the expert.
Wang Ying, an epidemiologist from Shanghai, said “the Sputnik V vaccine is very much to be expected” and is expected to produce good and safe results.
China on August 16 granted the first patent for the Covid-19 vaccine developed by CanSino Biologics, called Ad5-nCOV. This is the first “candidate” for the Covid-19 vaccine in China transferred to human testing in March 2020.
Under the pressure of the Covid-19 epidemic on economies and health, countries around the world are betting on research and development of vaccines. China, the United States, Europe and many parts of the world are racing to find a possible vaccine.
Mai Lam (According to the Global times)
