Iran produces test batch of Russian Covid-19 vaccine Sputnik

Iran's leading pharmaceutical companies, Actoverco has produced a test batch of Russian Sputnik V vaccine against coronavirus, the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) announced on Saturday.

With this Iran has become the first country in the Middle East to produce Sputnik V, RDIF said.

The vaccine produced in Iran will be used in the country's domestic vaccination program.

"RDIF and Actoverco are actively cooperating in the technology transfer process. Local production of the Sputnik V vaccine in Iran will accelerate the vaccination pace without logistics costs. Sputnik V is already playing an important role in protecting the country's population against the coronavirus, and domestic production will support Iran's efforts to combat the pandemic," said Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund.

To date, Sputnik V has been registered in 67 countries globally with a total population of over 3.5 billion people. The data obtained by regulators of a number of countries during the vaccination of the population, including Argentina, Serbia, Bahrain, Hungary, Mexico and others, demonstrates that Sputnik V is one of the safest and most effective vaccines against coronavirus, according to an official release.

The release stated that Sputnik V is based on a proven and well-studied platform of human adenoviral vectors and uses two different vectors for the two shots in a course of vaccination, providing immunity with a longer duration than vaccines using the same delivery mechanism for both shots.

Meanwhile, on WHO concern over Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine issues with the filling of vials at one plant, the Pharmastanfar - UfaVITA said that the issues did not relate to the safety or efficacy of the vaccine itself, the plant is responsible only for pouring into vials doses of Sputnik V vaccine produced elsewhere.

WHO did not raise any questions about the safety and efficacy of the produced and finished vaccine as the "Sputnik V" vaccine undergoes strictest double quality output control of the Gamaleya Institute and the Russian health regulator (Federal Healthcare Service - Roszdravnadzor), said OJSC Pharmstandard-UfaVITA statement.

Moreover, the WHO interim inspection did not identify any critical issues with the actual vaccine's production, quality, clinical studies, possible side effects, nor with the double quality output control by both the Gamaleya Institute and the Russian health regulator.

Instead, WHO inspectors' attention was focused on only four technical issues mostly related to one of the filling lines that have all been subsequently fully addressed, said the statement.

Further, OJSC Pharmstandard-UfaVITA invited WHO for another inspection.

( With inputs from ANI )