HEALTH

"Frater Razes" discusses with Russian partner to manufacture Sputnik V vaccine in Algeria

ALGIERS- The Algerian laboratory for pharmaceutical production "Frater Razes" is in discussion with a Russian partner for the manufacturing of Sputnik V vaccine, Minister of Pharmaceutical Industry Lotfi Benbahmed announced Tuesday in Algiers.

In a press briefing, on the sidelines of the installation of the new national watchdog on pharmaceutical products' availability, the minister said that "the laboratory Frater Razes is discussing with a Russian operator to manufacture Sputnik V vaccine in Algeria," underlining that the technical file for the vaccine production was sent to the national agency of medicines for a month and a half.

There are four phases for the production of this vaccine, including two phases that could be manufactured by national operators, according to him.

Two other upstream phases concern the biotechnology consisting in the use of living cells for the manufacturing of the vaccine.

"Russia is willing to provide us with this technology and accompany Algeria in this project by transferring the necessary technologies to Algeria," stressed Benbahmed, adding that there is a partnership agreement between the watchdog on pharmaceutical products' availability and its Russian counterpart involving the control, recording and manufacturing of pharmaceutical products as well as training and technology transfer.

Algeria possesses the capacities to produce the vaccine, according to him, underlining that it is too soon to give figures on the quantities that will be produced in the future.