RDIF will supply Dr. Reddy's with 100 million doses of potential Covid-19 vaccine Sputnik V, upon receiving the regulatory approval in India
Dr. Reddy’s biopharma finished dosage unit 3 in Hyderabad, India. (Credit: Arichuvadi/Wikipedia.)
Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories has partnered with Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) to support the clinical trials and distribution of Russia’s Covid-19 vaccine candidate Sputnik V in India.
RDIF is Russia’s sovereign wealth fund established in 2011, focused on equity co-investments, along with international financial and strategic investors in Russia. The agency serves as a catalyst for direct investment in the Russian economy.
Under the terms of the agreement, RDIF would supply the Indian pharmaceutical firm with 100 million doses of the potential Covid-19 vaccine, upon receiving the regulatory approval in India.
Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories co-chairman GV Prasad said: “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. Sputnik V vaccine could provide a credible option in our fight against COVID 19 in India.”
RDIF is expected to begin delivery of investigational Covid-19 vaccine in late 2020
Sputnik V is an investigational Covid-19 vaccine, developed by the Gamaleya National Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, in August 2020. The vaccine was registered by the Ministry of Health of Russia.
The vaccine has been developed based on human adenoviral vector platform and is currently being studied in clinical trials. Sputnik V is said to be the first registered vaccine against Covid-19, developed based on the human adenoviral vectors platform.
International medical journal Lancet has published the results from Phase 1 and Phase 2 clinical trials of the Sputnik V vaccine on 4 September 2020, which showed no critical adverse effects and induced a stable immune response in all of the study participants.
RDIF is expected to start delivery of the potential Covid-19 vaccine in late 2020, pursuant to completion and success of trials and its registration by Indian regulatory authorities.
Russian Direct Investment Fund CEO Kirill Dmitriev said: “We are very pleased to partner with Dr.Reddy’s in India. Dr. Reddy’s has had a very well established and respected presence in Russia for over 25 years and is one of the leading pharmaceutical companies in India.
“India is amongst 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 partners will receive an effective and safe drug to fight the coronavirus. The platform of human adenoviral vectors, which is the core of the Russian vaccine, has been tested in more than 250 clinical studies over decades, and it has been found safe with no potential negative long-term consequences.”