Bahrain in deal with Russia to manufacture and distribute Sputnik V

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain has entered into a game-changing deal to manufacture and distribute Russia’s Sputnik V COVID-19 across the Middle East and North Africa region, further strengthening the region’s fight against the coronavirus.

The deal, signed during St. Petersburg International Economic Forum this week, will see the setting up of a manufacturing facility for the vaccine in the Kingdom. However, no word is out yet on the capacity of the planned facility from both parties.

Authorities are also yet to comment on the possible production start date of the Sputnik V, billed as the first registered coronavirus vaccine in the world. Sputnik V, developed by Gamaleya National Research Center of Epidemiology and Microbiology and the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), reportedly have an efficacy rate of 97.6% in clinical trials.

Its single-dose counterpart, Sputnik light, reportedly has an efficacy rate of 79.4%. Both the vaccines are available for emergency use in the Kingdom. Signing the deal this week with the Russian Direct Investment Fund for Bahrain was Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, was present during the signing, which involves Binnopharm Group, a subsidiary of Russian investment company Sistema, a publicly-traded Russian investment company.