Russia seeks India help in manufacturing, conducting Phase-3 trials, says NITI Aayog VK Paul

Earlier, Kirill Dmitriev, the top of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, confirmed that the phase-III clinical trials of the Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine has been allowed & will begin in India in September.

Russia has approached India to think about manufacturing its COVID-19 vaccine through the network of Indian companies and assist in phase-3 studies in India, Dr VK Paul, Member of NITI Aayog (Health), said.

"The vaccine has been developed by Russia has been taken into account of the country. the govt of Russia approached our government and sought assistance on two matters firstly- to think about its manufacturing through our network of companies, and secondly phase-3 studies in India," said Paul, reported ANI.

 Mr. Paul also said in tweet, "The government of India attaches great importance to the present offer of partnership from a really special friend Russia, and on both the tracks there has been significant movement."

The development comes after Russia had expressly shown interest in partnering with India to supply the COVID-19 vaccine. Besides, India was among the 20 nations that were curious about being a part of Sputnik V’s phase-III trials.

Earlier, on September 7 2020, Kirill Dmitriev, the top official of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, confirmed that the phase-III clinical trials of the Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine will begin in India from September month onwards.

The third phase of the clinical trials of the Russian coronavirus vaccine also will be conducted in Saudi Arabia , the United Arab Emirates, the Philippines, and Brazil, reported News18. Dmitriev also informed that the preliminary results of the Phase-III Sputnik V trials are going to be published by October-November 2020.

After Russia registered Sputnik V because the world’s first COVID-19 vaccine on August 11 – jointly developed by the Gamaleya Research Institute and therefore the Russian Defense Ministry – Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh had expressed confidence within the efficacy of the vaccine even within the face of reasonable doubt.

On September 7, India overtook Brazil to become the second country within the world with the very best number of COVID-19 cases. It also recorded more cases over the weekend than Brazil and therefore the US combined, accounting for 40 percent of all the COVID-19 cases reported over the weekend from round the world.