Vietnam successfully produces first batch of Russian Sputnik V vaccine

First Sputnik V vaccine batch successfully produced in Vietnam (Vabiotech) 

By Cu Thi Lan
Editor at Dantri/Dtinews Online Newspaper- Vietnam

HANOI: A Vietnamese company announced Friday that it has successfully produced the first batch of the Russian Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine in Vietnam.

According to the Company for Vaccine and Biological Production No.1 (Vabiotech), a vaccine quality control appraisal report by the Gamaleya National Center of Epidemiology and Microbiology, the developer of the vaccine in Russia said that the vaccine produced in Vietnam has met its quality standard.

Vabiotech President Do Tuan Dat said the company would start large-scale production of the vaccine from September 24, thus helping Vietnam become self-sufficient in Sputnik V vaccine supply.

“We can produce five million doses a month now, and then can increase to 100 million doses a year,” Dat said. “We have built factories to get tech transfers of the vaccine. Vabiotech is also pushing forward the registration of Sputnik Light vaccine that only needs one shot. “

Sputnik V makes use of heterogeneous boosting, meaning that it employs two different vectors over the course of the two shots, which the developer claims to provide longer immunity than ones that use the same delivery mechanism. The gap between two shots is three weeks.

First Sputnik V vaccine batch successfully produced in Vietnam (Vabiotech)

According to the clinical test result announced by Russia, Sputnik V’s efficacy amounts to 91.6 percent. After injection, 98 percent of volunteers produce antibodies against the virus.

Sputnik V is priced at less than USD10 per jab. It can be stored at standard refrigerator temperatures of between 2-8 degrees Celsius.

Vabiotech officially announced the production of Sputnik V vaccine on a trial basis in late July.