Russia has said that it sees strong global interest in its first coronavirus vaccine dubbed ‘Sputnik V’ being registered for use on Tuesday, adding that the country plans to conduct phase 3 trials in different countries, including India. However, officials at the Union Health Ministry have reportedly denied Moscow’s claim saying no such talk on collaboration had been held.
On Tuesday, August 11, the vaccine developed by the Gamaleya Research Institute and the Russian Defence Ministry was registered by the health ministry for use amid widespread safety concerns raised by various experts from across the world. President Putin announced the approval of the Sputnik V vaccine, claiming it as the world’s first vaccine against the SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
A report from the first information website on Sputnik V stated that Russia plans to conduct phase 3 clinical trials in different countries, including Saudi Arabia, UAE, Brazil, India and the Philippines. The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), which finances the production of the Sputnik V in Russia, also claimed that it plans to start mass production in other countries in partnership with local sovereign wealth funds, including India, South Korea and Brazil, as well as, in Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Cuba.
