Russia expects WHO approval of Sputnik V vaccine by year-end

Russia’s Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine is on track to be approved by the World Health Organisation by the end of the year, according to the head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund. 

“We expect the approval by the end of the year, and we are just going through some bureaucratic procedures,” RDIF Chief Executive Officer Kirill Dmitriev said on Bloomberg TV Tuesday. 

The WHO says Russia’s rolling submission is incomplete and it has not posted an anticipated date to approve Sputnik V for emergency use, a status that could lead to greater international recognition of the vaccine. Meetings are ongoing and the decision is pending more data and a follow-up on inspections observations, the WHO said in an update last week. 

Dmitriev dismissed reports of production delays for the second dose of Sputnik V, saying they have provided the vaccine to 100 million people in middle-income countries outside of Russia. 

“There are zero delays for second-component delivery,” Dmitriev said. “The production delays have been fully resolved.”