Mexico signs a deal of 32-million doses of Russia's Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine

Mexico will receive a supply of 32-million doses of Russia's Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine. This latest agreement between Russian directive Investment Fund (RDIF) Russia's sovereign wealth fund and Landsteiner Scientific pharmaceutical company should be able to vaccinate 25 per cent of the Mexican population. According to the RDIF, delivery for 32-million doses is expected to start in November 2020 (subject to approval by Mexico's regulators).

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Mexico signs a deal for Russia's COVID-19 vaccine 

In August 2020, Sputnik V was registered by the Ministry of Health of Russia was the world's first registered vaccine against COVID-19. Earlier in September, the results of Phase II and III trials of Sputnik V reported a safe immune response in 100 per cent of the participants. Currently, the Russia-made COVID-19 vaccine is undergoing trials in 40,000 volunteers and its first results are expected to come out by October-November 2020. 

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Russia's Sputnik V is a two-dose vaccine regimen, which contains the full-length Spike and Nucleocapsid proteins from SARS-CoV-2 in two different adeno-associated viruses (AAV) vectors. In over 250 clinical trials AAVs have safely elicited immune responses. Kirill Dmitriev, Chief Executive Officer of the Russian Direct Investment Fund said that in a recent study 66 per cent of Mexicans have expressed their confidence in Russia's Sputnik V. This confidence may be the proven safety record of the vaccine trials and that the supply 32-million COVID-19 vaccine doses will “help 25 per cent of the Mexican population to receive access to the safe and effective vaccine.”

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Sputnik V is the world's first clinically approved vaccine 

The world’s first clinically approved vaccine against the novel coronavirus has been manufactured by the Gamaleya Research Institute in collaboration with the Russian Health Ministry. Last month, Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko told in a meeting that it is one of the first registered vaccines in the world to prove its effectiveness and safety.

The United States has been sceptical over the Russian vaccine and US Health Secretary Alex Azar told a news conference that it is more essential to have a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine than acing the race. Murashko said that foreign colleagues are sensing the specific competitive advantages of the Russian drug and are trying to express “groundless” doubts.

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