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'Sputnik V' will arrive in Bolivia a few days after Venezuela received a first batch of the Russia's COVID-19 vaccine to undergo clinical trials.
As a measure to counteract Bolivia's sanitary crisis, Sigma laboratory Friday sealed an alliance with Russia to produce and export to other Latin American countries a medicine for patients with COVID-19 and to distribute the new Russian vaccine 'Sputnik V'.
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The Bolivian company Sigma Corp. will import the new Russian COVID-19 vaccine, which was announced to the world in August by President Vladimir Putin.
Sigma will also begin to produce in Bolivia the antiviral Avifavir, which has already been used in patients with coronavirus in the Andean country.
"We estimate that we will be able to produce the drug by the end of this year to supply our population," said Sigma's head of research and development Guillermo Olmedo.
First batch of Sputnik vaccine, developed by Moscow’s Gamaleya institute arrived to Novosibirsk region; earlier reports said it also arrived to Irkutsk region. The vaccine will go to healthcare workers #Covid19Russia pic.twitter.com/SjRz4O6TsV
— The Siberian Times (@siberian_times) September 21, 2020
With 11 million inhabitants, the Latin American country registers over 137,000 COVID-19 cases and over 8,100 deaths amid a tense political scenario due to the upcoming Election day.
"The vaccine 'Sputnik V' was named after the first satellite that Russia launched was launched to outer space. And the letter 'V' is for 'victory' alluding to the first confirmed vaccine registered against the coronavirus," Russia's ambassador in La Paz Vladimir Ivanocich said.
Sigma plans to initially sell the Russian drug to eight countries in South and Central America.
"Over 300 patients have already been treated with the vaccine. We have had very encouraging results in a period of fewer than 20 days since the medicine arrived," Sigma's communications representant Rodrigo Mendez explained.
#Cuba’s lung #cancer vaccine saves #UnitedStates lives. pic.twitter.com/QxZb8r96Jc
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) March 23, 2019
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