Human trials in Phase 2 and 3 will be conducted on theRussian vaccine Sputnik V. The company involved is Dr Reddy’s, a globalpharmaceutical company headquartered in India.
Yesterday, the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) and DrReddy's Laboratories Limited had agreed to cooperate on clinical trials anddistribution of Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine in India.
The vaccine is based on adenovirus and has been developed bythe Gamaleya Scientific Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology,along with the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF).
G.V. Prasad, Co-chairman and Managing Director, Dr Reddy'sLaboratories claims, "This is a significant development that allows us tocommence the clinical trials in India and we are committed to bringing in asafe and efficacious vaccine to combat the pandemic."
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"On regulatory approval in India, RDIF shall supply toDr Reddy's 100 million doses of the vaccine. The Sputnik V vaccine, which isbased on well-studied human adenoviral vector platform with proven safety, isundergoing clinical trials for the coronavirus pandemic," a statement fromthe Russian fund had earlier stated.
Deliveries could begin later this year if the trials are successfuland the paperwork is processed by the regulatory authorities in India, claimthe RDIF.
"The agreement between RDIF and Dr Reddy's reflects thegrowing awareness of countries and organisations to have a diversifiedanti-COVID vaccine portfolio to protect their populations," RDIF added.