MOSCOW (TASS) — Russia’s Industry and Trade Ministry has reported that first samples of the Sputnik V vaccine had arrived in Uzbekistan in order to conduct trials before its subsequent industrial production, the Ministry’s website reported on Friday.

The statement said:

Industry and Trade Minister of the Russian Federation Denis Manturov personally delivered to the republic’s capital samples of the Sputnik V vaccine against COVID-19. The valuable cargo was received by Deputy Head of the Service for Sanitary and Epidemiological Welfare and Public Health of the Republic of Uzbekistan Holmamat Norboyev. The samples were submitted to the Uzbek side in order to conduct the trials necessary to obtain registration and launch industrial production of the vaccine in Uzbekistan.

Additionally, the agency reported that the volume of vaccines produced will soon reach 2 mln doses which would allow to launch inoculation in Russia.

The Sputnik V vaccine
On August 11, Russia became the first worldwide to register the vaccine against the coronavirus which was named Sputnik V. The preparation was developed by the Gamaleya National Research Centre for Epidemiology and Microbiology of the Russian Healthcare Ministry. Post-registration trials began in Moscow on September 7, the first vaccine was administered to volunteers on September 9. In all, 40,000 people participate in the program, with 10,000 of them receiving a placebo instead of the vaccine.

The developers of the vaccine claim that the effectiveness of the Sputnik V surpasses 95% on Day 42 after administration of a first dose of the preparation in case a second dose is received.

Requests to obtain over 1.2 bln doses of the Sputnik V vaccine were received from over 50 countries. The vaccine for foreign markets will be manufactured by international partners in India, Brazil, China, South Korea, and other countries.