New Delhi: There is more development on the collaboration front between India and Russia for COVID vaccine. The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) and India’s Dr Reddy’s Laboratories Limited, a global pharmaceutical company, have agreed to cooperate on clinical trials and distribution of Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine in India, Russia’s sovereign wealth fund revealed in a statement on Wednesday.
“On regulatory approval in India, RDIF shall supply to Dr Reddy’s 100 million doses of the vaccine. The Sputnik V vaccine, which is based on a well-studied human adenoviral vector platform with proven safety, is undergoing clinical trials for the coronavirus pandemic,” said a fund statement.
RDIF said that the deliveries could potentially begin in late 2020 but only after successful trials and registration of the vaccine by regulatory authorities in India.
“The agreement between RDIF and Dr. Reddy’s reflects the growing awareness of countries and organisations to have a diversified anti-COVID vaccine portfolio to protect their populations,” RDIF added.
It may be recalled that NITI Aayog member, Dr. V.K. Paul, had said that the Russian government has sought India’s help in manufacturing the Sputnik V vaccine and also to conduct Phase-3 trials or bridging studies in the country.
ICMR Director General Balram Bhargava also said at a press conference on Tuesday, “Russia has a good history of vaccine manufacturing hence we assume that this vaccine is also good. There is a dialogue going on between the high-level committees of the governments of India and Russia. We are trying to work out its mechanism.”
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