Sputnik V to lift off for India: Russia will help supply 100 MILLION doses of pioneering coronavirus vaccine to New Delhi

Russia’s Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine will be clinically trialed and distributed in India, with deliveries expected to begin later this year, according to the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), which bankrolled its development.

As soon as the vaccine is granted regulatory approval in India, Russia will help supply 100 million doses to the Asian nation, the RDIF said in a statement on Wednesday. It will partner with Hyderabad-based pharmaceutical giant Dr Reddy's. 

“India is amongst the most severely impacted countries from COVID 19 and we believe our human adenovirus dual vector platform will provide a safe and scientifically validated option to India in the battle against COVID 19,” RDIF CEO Kirill Dmitriev explained.

Deliveries of the vaccine formula could begin in the latter part of 2020 — as soon as the trials and all due legal procedures are completed by Indian regulators. India will conduct clinical trials of the vaccine, a Dr Reddy’s representative said, expressing hope the medicine will show solid results. 

“We are pleased to partner with RDIF to bring the vaccine to India. The Phase I and II results have shown promise, and we will be conducting Phase-III trials in India to meet the requirements of the Indian regulators,” Co-Chairman and Managing Director of Dr Reddy’s G V Prasad outlined, adding that the Sputnik V vaccine “could provide a credible option” in the country’s fight against the virus.

Russia was the first country to register a vaccine against the coronavirus which has caused international devastation since the beginning of the year. The formula, based on the human adenoviral vectors platform, was unveiled early in August. 

India, alongside Brazil and the US, remains one of the worst coronavirus-affected nations in the world. The country surpassed the 5 million mark of registered Covid-19 cases on Wednesday, while more than 82,000 people have succumbed to the dreaded disease, according to the latest figures compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

Globally, more than 29.6 million people have contracted Covid-19 and some 935,000 have died.

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