Russia’s Gamaleya research center, and the U.K.-Swedish pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, along with the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) and R-Pharm pharmaceutical company, signed a memorandum of cooperation on the fight against the novel coronavirus. Russian President Vladimir Putin participated in the signing ceremony. “I am absolutely convinced that such an attitude towards partnership today can serve as a good, convincing example of combining scientific forces, technologies, investments for a common goal — to protect the life, health and safety of millions of people on the planet as a whole,” Putin said reported TASS. He congratulated the parties on the Dec. 14 signing of the document.
RDIF CEO Kirill Dmitriev said at the meeting, “We suggested that AstraZeneca can use one of the components of our vaccine to create another effective medication. AstraZeneca accepted the offer of the Russian Direct Investment Fund and the Gamaleya National Research Center. It will start clinical trials of its vaccine in combination with adenovirus of the Sputnik [vaccine] of serotype 26 in the near future in three countries, including the countries of the CIS and Middle East.” RDIF said this offer is an example of Russia’s “proactive approach” – that it is prepared to share its technology with those willing to produce vaccines using the two-vector technology.
Dmitriev went on: “This unique example of cooperation between scientists from different countries in jointly fighting coronavirus will play a decisive role in achieving a final victory over the pandemic globally. Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine is already saving people’s lives in Russia today through a large-scale vaccination program.”
