The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF, Russia’s sovereign wealth fund), Egypt’s Minapharm, the regional leader in recombinant DNA technology, and its Berlin-based subsidiary ProBioGen AG have entered an agreement to produce over 40 million doses per year of the Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine.
 
The parties intend to commence technology transfer immediately. The rollout of the vaccine is expected in 3Q 2021.
 
RDIF and Minapharm will initially supply over 40 million doses per year. Production will take place in Minapharm’s biotech facility in Cairo for global distribution.
 
Minapharm’s German subsidiary, ProBioGen AG, aims to undertake efforts for process optimization to further increase the production scale taking advantage of its expertise in viral vector technology and manufacturing process development for vaccines and gene therapy.
 
To date, Sputnik V has been registered in 61 countries globally covering a total population of over 3 billion people. Sputnik V vaccine demonstrated efficacy of 97.6%, based on the analysis of data on the infection rate of coronavirus among those in Russia vaccinated with both components of the vaccine.
 
“Agreement with Minapharm marks our first partnership in MENA region to produce Sputnik V,” said Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund. “RDIF is in cooperation with the leading pharmaceutical producers globally as Sputnik V is registered in 61 countries. The Russian vaccine is highly efficient and trusted by regulators around the world and makes a huge contribution in the fight against coronavirus.”
 
Wafik Bardissi, chairman and CEO of Minapharm, said, “This agreement is a natural expansion to Minapharm’s regional leadership in biotechnologies, capitalizing on the vast international experience in cellular engineering and adenoviral vector technology of its wholly owned German subsidiary ProBioGen AG. We are pleased to join the RDIF in combatting the global COVID-19 pandemic.”