Russia ready to provide India with Sputnik Light COVID vaccine; hopes to partner with SII

Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) said on Monday that it is “ready” to provide India with the one-shot Sputnik Light vaccine and Sputnik M vaccine for adolescents. As Russia moves to develop strategic cooperation with India, RDIF CEO Kirill Dmitriev said in a statement that Russia and India have joined forces since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and noted that the strategic partnership included the production of Sputnik V and Sputnik Light vaccines. 

RDIF said, “Partnership between Russia and India in the fight against COVID has already demonstrated significant results, and the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF, Russia’s sovereign wealth fund) strives to expand it through providing the one-shot Sputnik Light vaccine and Sputnik M vaccine (for adolescents).”

“The Russian Sputnik V vaccine, which is one of the safest and most effective vaccines in the world (as demonstrated by the real-world data from Hungary, San Marino, Argentina, Serbia, Bahrain, Mexico, UAE and others) is already used in India following an emergency use authorization in April 2021. Sputnik V became the first foreign-made vaccine used in India,” it added.

RDIF also informed that presently it is working with regulators in India for the registration of Sputnik Light which is the one-shot vaccine based on components of Sputnik V as a booster and also a “standable” vaccine. The Russian Direct Investment Fund mentioned its “major partner”, Dr Reddy’s Laboratories which “has conducted additional clinical trials of Sputnik Light in India. Positive data from these trials have also been presented to India's regulator.”

RDIF hopes for partnership with Serum Institute of India

Noting that Serum Institute of India (SII) is already developing AstraZeneca’s COVID jab under the name of ‘Covishield’, RDIF indicated a possible partnership with SII to manufacture Sputnik Light as a booster. It said, “AstraZeneca vaccine is produced in India under the Covishield brand and Sputnik Light could be successfully applied as a booster in partnership with Serum Institute of India, which already produces the two vaccines.”

“RDIF has also provided India's regulator with documents for registration of Sputnik M – the vaccine for adolescents aged 12-17. Russia's Health Ministry registered Sputnik M on November 24, 2021. It has become a new member of the Sputnik vaccines family and is offered to international markets joining Sputnik V and Sputnik Light,” it informed.

Sputnik Light is 70% effective against Delta

RDIF further said that its Sputnik Light vaccine has standalone efficacy of 70% against the COVID-19 infection from the Delta variant in the first three months of vaccination. Additionally, among people above the age of 60, the one-shot vaccine is 70% effective. RDIF added, “Efficacy of Sputnik Light as a booster against Delta variant for other vaccines will be close to the efficacy against the Delta variant of the Sputnik V vaccine: over 83% against infection and over 94% against hospitalisation.”

(IMAGE: PTI)