Hetero to produce Russia’s COVID-19 vaccine in India

More than 100 mn doses of Sputnik V to be made in a year

A vial with Russia's new coronavirus vaccine is seen prior to a vaccination of a volunteer in a post-registration trials, Moscow, September 10, 2020. - Russia announced last month that its vaccine, named "Sputnik V" after the Soviet-era satellite that was the first launched into space in 1957, had already received approval. The vaccine was developed by the Gamaleya research institute in Moscow in coordination with the Russian defence ministry. (Photo by Natalia KOLESNIKOVA / AFP)

Russia’s COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V will be produced in India by generic pharmaceutical firm Hetero.

Announcing an agreement with Hetero, sovereign wealth fund RDIF — which is piloting the vaccine — said more than 100 million doses of the vaccine would be produced.

A joint statement from the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) and Hetero on Friday said the agreement was to produce more than 100 million doses per year in India. The production is intended to start at the beginning of 2021. Hetero would manufacture the vaccine through its subsidiary Hetero Biopharma, which has a facility in Hyderabad. It will be equipped with sufficient capacity, sources said.

RDIF’s CEO Kirill Dmitriev said the agreement would pave the way for production of the ‘safe and highly effective’ Sputnik V vaccine on Indian soil. The vaccine’s interim clinical trial results show 95% efficacy on the 42nd day after the first dose.

“We are pleased to collaborate with RDIF as a manufacturing partner for Sputnik V vaccine for the treatment of COVID-19,” said Hetero Labs director-International Marketing B. Murali Krishna Reddy.

“While we look forward to the clinical trial results in India, we believe that manufacturing the product locally is crucial to enable swift access to patients,” he added.