S.Korean consortium to produce Russia's Sputnik Light vaccine

Huons Global

28/06/2021 03:37

By Sangmi Cha
    SEOUL, June 28 (Reuters) - Huons Global Co Ltd  084110.KQ 
said on Monday its South Korean consortium plans to begin
production of a single-dose Sputnik Light COVID-19 vaccine from
as early as September.
    The plan followed a request by the Russian Direct Investment
Fund (RDIF), which markets the vaccine, and production would
take place along with Sputnik V vaccines the consortium also
intended to make for the sovereign wealth fund, Huons said.
    The company said in April it would produce 100 million doses
of Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine a month for export, as Moscow
sought to increase production globally to meet rising
demand. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N2M90I8
    Huons said its consortium would begin producing sample
batches of both Sputnik V and Light vaccines in August and would
respond flexibly to meet demand from the Russian Direct
Investment Fund (RDIF).
    Huons said it was boosting production capacity and aimed to
make 30 million doses by the end of this year.
    RDIF has a separate production deal with South Korea's GL
Rapha to make more than 150 million doses of the vaccine a year.
 urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N2HZ0A4
    South Korea has approved four vaccines so far, from
AstraZeneca  AZN.L , Pfizer  PFE.N , Johnson & Johnson  JNJ.N 
and Moderna  MRNA.O , but has not begun reviewing Sputnik V or
Sputnik Light for approval.

 (Reporting by Sangmi Cha; Editing by Stephen Coates)
 ((sangmi.cha@thomsonreuters.com;))