RDIF announces delivery of the first batch of Sputnik V vaccine to Venezuela for clinical trials

Moscow, October 2, 2020 – The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), Russia’s sovereign wealth fund, announces the delivery of the first batch of the Russian vaccine against coronavirus, Sputnik V, to the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. The Sputnik V vaccine is based on a human adenoviral vectors platform which is the only one in the world that has proven long-term safety and effectiveness.

Vaccination of volunteers in Venezuela will begin in the coming days as part of double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials of the Sputnik V vaccine. Venezuela has become the first country in Latin America to start clinical trials of the Sputnik V vaccine after its registration in Russia with 2000 people taking part in the trial. 

On August 11, the Sputnik V vaccine developed by the Gamaleya National Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology was registered by the Ministry of Health of Russia and became the world’s first registered vaccine against COVID-19 based on the human adenoviral vectors platform. Detailed information on the Sputnik V vaccine, the technological platform of human adenoviral vectors, and other details are available at sputnikvaccine.com

On September 4, a research paper on the results of Phase I and Phase II clinical trials of the Sputnik V vaccine was published in The Lancet, one of the leading international medical journals. Post-registration clinical trials of the Sputnik V vaccine involving 40,000 volunteers are currently ongoing. More than 60,000 volunteers have applied to take part in post-registration trials. The first results of these trials are expected to be published in October-November 2020. 

RDIF has received orders for more than 1.2 billion doses of the Sputnik V vaccine for 2020-2021. More than 50 countries in the Middle East, Asia, Latin America, Europe, and CIS have applied for Sputnik V. RDIF has already announced supply agreements with Mexico for 32 million doses; with Brazil for up to 50 million doses; India – 100 million doses; Uzbekistan – for up to 35 million doses; Nepal – 25 million doses.

Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, said: 

“Venezuela is the first country in Latin America to take part in foreign clinical trials of the Sputnik V vaccine. Trials are already ongoing in Belarus with more of them planned in a number of other countries, including Brazil, India, and the United Arab Emirates. While other vaccine producers use new and less studied approaches, namely monkey adenovirus and mRNA, and face obstacles in clinical trials, Sputnik V shows growing trust and demand in many regions, including Latin America. The vaccine will help the people of Venezuela in their fight against coronavirus and we ready to support other partners in the region”.

Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) is Russia’s sovereign wealth fund established in 2011 to make equity co-investments, primarily in Russia, alongside reputable international financial and strategic investors. RDIF acts as a catalyst for direct investment in the Russian economy. RDIF’s management company is based in Moscow. Currently, RDIF has experience of the successful joint implementation of more than 80 projects with foreign partners totaling more than RUB1.9 tn and covering 95% of the regions of the Russian Federation. RDIF portfolio companies employ more than 800,000 people and generate revenues which equate to more than 6% of Russia’s GDP. RDIF has established joint strategic partnerships with leading international co-investors from more than 18 countries that total more than $40 bn.