Salvarezza: “Argentina has the capacity to manufacture the Russian vaccine” – Telam

The Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Roberto Salvarezza, said this morning that “Argentina has the capacity to manufacture the Russian (vaccine)” Sputnik V against the coronavirus and stressed that the country ” has more than enough human resources in scientific quality terms “.

“Argentina has the capacity to manufacture the Russian vaccine. The proof is in the manufacture in Garín of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine,” the minister said of the local production of this development in the mAbxience laboratory, of the Insud group, in this city. Buenos Aires.

Salvarezza explained that “12 million doses” of the Oxford vaccine “have already been produced and sent to Mexico for packaging” and will then be distributed in Latin America.

“There are a lot of human resources in terms of scientific quality,” insisted the minister in statements to El Uncover radio.

“The government is active in trying to get more doses due to laboratory delays”“

Salvarezza said Argentina “today has contracts for 60 million vaccines” against Covid-19 and stressed that the government “is actively trying to get more doses due to delays in laboratories” in delivery of those already engaged.

“We are funding two local vaccine projects, which are in the preclinical phase. Now the ministry is working to have a local laboratory team up to produce it,” he said.

The scientist said the new coronavirus that emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan more than a year ago may become “a frequent visitor every year”, with different variants, for which he pointed out that “the local production of the vaccine would be a solution “.

“Argentina has a vaccine population of 30 million people,” Salvarezza said and argued that “Sputnik V’s 3-week delay (in childbirth) is not significant in changing the scenario of reaching the month of August with 50% of the population vaccinated “.

“We are funding two local vaccine projects, which are in the preclinical phase. Now the ministry is working to have a local lab partner to produce it.“

The Minister of Science and Technology referred to the publication on Tuesday in the prestigious scientific journal The Lancet of data from the Sputnik V vaccine, which showed 91.6% effectiveness in preventing Covid-19 and showed that it is certain and that the response among those over 60 is similar to that of the rest of the population.

Salvarezza’s statements are in line with those expressed by Kirill Dmitriev, managing director of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), who, at a press conference for Argentine media, said that “Argentina can produce the Sputnik V vaccine “against the coronavirus and added that” we will anticipate production “in the country by including” contracts with certain producers “.

Meanwhile, the government of Vladimir Putin stressed that, “in the very near future, we want to start producing in other countries to meet the growing demand of more and more countries,” according to the spokesperson for Kremlin, quoted by the AFP News agency.

The drug produced by the Gamaleya Center has already been approved in 15 countries, including former Soviet republics, Kremlin political allies such as Venezuela or Iran, and countries such as Argentina and Mexico.

Russia is seeking to finalize cooperation agreements for other countries to produce its vaccine, which, for the moment, is manufactured in countries such as Brazil, India, South Korea and Kazakhstan.

At the same time, the vaccine approval process with the European Medicines Agency (EMA) began.

Last Tuesday, the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), which finances the development of Sputnik V, stressed that the expansion of vaccine production will be done with the capacity of local factories in Brazil, India, Korea. South and Algeria.

And also, there is an agreement to do the same in Iran and Turkey, progress is being made with China and there are discussions with Germany.

In another order, Salvarezza also referred to the publication yesterday in the prestigious scientific journal The Lancet of data from the Sputnik V vaccine, which showed 91.6% effectiveness in preventing Covid-19 and demonstrated that it is sure and that the response among those over 60 is similar to that of the rest of the population.

“Today I read the newspapers with the biggest circulation in the country, which have led a ruthless campaign against the vaccine. They say arguments like ‘The problem wasn’t the vaccine, it was the government.’ The truth is that this is one. They spent all these months circulating to opposition leaders whose opinions were ‘we’re going to be guinea pigs’,’ this is going to poison us’ or ‘I’m not enforcing the vaccine because it comes from a not very transparent country, ”Salvarezza criticized.

In this sense, he argued that “it is a lie that there was no data. In September, Sputnik also published its Phase 1 and 2 data in The Lancet. In November, the Gamaleya Institute (developer of Sputnik V) also opened up Phase 3 data and announced that it was 92% effective and 100% safe. “

“What appears (Tuesday) in The Lancet is the same data that ANMAT had and that is why it approved the vaccine,” the minister said and concluded: “The truth is they are sad “.