Turkey may launch production of Sputnik V vaccine against Covid-19

Turkey is ready to register and start the production of Russia's Sputnik V vaccine against the coronavirus in case of improved results of its toxicological tests, Turkish Minister of Health Fahrettin Koca said.

In late January, the Russian Direct Investment Fund, which promotes Sputnik V in the international market, signed an agreement with a leading Turkish pharmaceuticals developer to produce the Russian vaccine in Turkey and started the transfer of technologies. Turkey could reportedly produce millions of Sputnik V vaccine doses per year.

"We are holding negotiations with various countries and companies, especially with those who are ready to provide us with the vaccine until April. From the very beginning, we have been focusing on three vaccines: the Russian one, the Chinese one and the vaccine developed by Turkish scientists. Russia's Sputnik V vaccine has some problems with toxicology. However, we are continuing the work on it and if these problems are removed, will be ready not only to register and purchase it but also to launch its production in Turkey," Koca said on late Wednesday.

A recent peer-reviewed study published in The Lancet journal stated that Sputnik V, which was developed by Russia's Gamaleya Research Center of Epidemiology and Microbiology, showed 91.6 percent efficacy, based on Phase 3 clinical trial interim data. The vaccine, which is built on a human adenoviral vector platform, was registered by the Russian government on August 11. Over 20 countries have already registered Sputnik V for emergency use.