Brazil’s Parana state to produce Russia’s Covid-19 vaccine

The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) and the Brazilian state of Parana are set to collaborate to produce and distribute Russia’s registered Covid-19 vaccine, Sputnik V.

Under the strategic cooperation agreement, RDIF will work with pharmaceutical companies in the state to help organise the production and distribution of the vaccine in Brazil and other Latin American countries.

RDIF and the Gamaleya National Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology also agreed to provide the vaccine’s clinical trials results and production technological protocols to the Paraná State Institute of Technology (Tecpar) in the future.

Developed by the Gamaleya National Research Institute, the Sputnik V vaccine was registered by the Ministry of Health of Russia on 11 August.

RDIF CEO Kirill Dmitriev said: “We are seeing strong interest from our Brazilian partners in learning from Russia’s experience in the fight against coronavirus, including information related to the first registered coronavirus vaccine in the world.

“Brazil is one of five key countries ready to support the production of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine. We are confident in the high safety and efficacy of the Sputnik V vaccine and look forward to the approval of the vaccine by the Brazilian authorities soon.”

Meanwhile, Argentina and Mexico have agreed to produce AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine candidate for Latin American countries, except Brazil, reported Reuters citing Argentine President Alberto Fernandez.

AstraZeneca entered an agreement with biotechnology company mAbxience for the transfer of technology to initially manufacture 150 million vaccine doses.

Fernandez was quoted as saying: “Latin American production will be handled in Argentina and Mexico and that will allow timely and efficient access for all countries in the region.”

In a statement on Twitter, Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said that the vaccine output may increase to 250 million doses.

AstraZeneca also signed a deal with non-profit organisation The Carlos Slim Foundation for the vaccine candidate production. It is expected that the vaccine will be delivered in the first half of next year.