MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 16th September, 2021) The South Korean partners of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) are nearly ready to begin supplying the Sputnik coronavirus vaccines to the global market, with the first shipment of the Sputnik Light vaccine departing in the near future, the RDIF told Sputnik on Thursday.
Earlier in the day, South Korean biotechnology company GL Rapha, which is licensed to produce the Russian vaccines, told Sputnik that it had successfully manufactured the first 10 million doses of Sputnik Light and was expected to begin export to prospective buyers shortly.
"The RDIF's partners in contract manufacturing of Sputnik in South Korea are getting ready to begin delivering large-scale vaccine shipments to the international market. The shipment ceremony of the first Sputnik Light batch will take place soon with the RDIF and GL Rapha management attending (the event)," the fund said, adding that RDIF CEO Kirill Dmitriev is expected to take part in the ceremony via videoconference.
The RDIF noted that Sputnik vaccines were also being manufactured by foreign partners in countries such as India, China, Argentina and others.
The RDIF and GL Rapha agreed last November to produce the Sputnik V vaccine for export. The contract manufacturing is taking place at the Hankook Korus Pharm plant in Chuncheon, with the capacity to produce more than 150 million doses per year. GL Rapha has also created a consortium of seven South Korean companies that will collectively be able to manufacture more than 500 million doses a year.
