Russia received interest for 1 billion doses of its coronavirus vaccine, which was registered in the country officially on Tuesday, and it aims to produce 500 million doses over the coming 12 months, the head of its sovereign wealth fund said.
“We already received tentative interest and preliminary requests for 1 billion doses of the Russian vaccine … from more than 20 countries,” Kirill Dmitriev, chief executive of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, which is financing the country’s vaccine research, said in a virtual press conference on Tuesday.
Countries in Latin America, the Middle East and Asia have expressed the greatest interest in the vaccine, dubbed Sputnik V, he said. The RDIF is “about to finalise a number of contracts for the purchase of the vaccine,” Mr Dmitriev said.
The RDIF set up the following website dedicated to the vaccine: https://sputnikvaccine.com/
“We believe today is a very positive day in the fight of humanity against coronavirus … It’s a major step not only by our scientists, not only by Russia, not only by our leadership but also for the world because we have one common enemy and that’s the coronavirus,” Mr Dmitriev said.
The RDIF is backing the production of the vaccine developed by the Gamaleya Institute and has invested 4 billion rubles (Dh202 million) with its portfolio companies Alium and R-Pharm.
“We have also built a partnership to produce the vaccine in five countries and now have a production capability of 500 million vaccines that can be produced in the next 12 months,” Mr Dmitriev said.
“The plan is to ramp-up production capacity even higher,” he said. “We will not be producing the vaccine only in Russia, we will be producing the vaccine with other countries.”
More than 20 million people have been infected with the coronavirus globally and about 740,000 have died, according to Worldometer, which is tracking the pandemic. The US has the highest number of infections at more than 5.2 million.
Phase III of vaccine clinical trials will start tomorrow and data will be published as it becomes available, Mr Dmitriev said.
“We expect clinical trials to start in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and the Philippines very soon,” he said, adding that people taking part will be monitored and their antibodies measured over the next couple of months.
Mr Dmitriev said the Russian vaccine is an important milestone given the resurgence of the pandemic in countries battling second waves.
“Many predicted the coronavirus would just disappear … and a vaccine is a major step in the way forward,” he said.
“This is really about protecting people … It is also about enabling our economies to open and to work well. We need people to be healthy, to be working and the vaccine is really the solution,” Mr Dmitriev said.
“It’s an important step from an economic perspective to help economies of our countries recover faster.”
The Gamaleya Institute developed a test that can measure specific antibodies that attack the spike of the coronavirus, he said. The test takes several hours, and will be administered to all of the people who receive the vaccine. Russia’s vaccine will now be offered to volunteers, doctors and teachers.
"We expect tens of thousands of volunteers to be vaccinated in the next months and then, starting from October, there will be mass vaccination in Russia on a voluntary basis," Mr Dmitriev said.
ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA
Starring: Nader Abd Alhay, Majd Eid, Ramzi Maqdisi
Directors: Tarzan and Arab Nasser
Rating: 4.5/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
MORE ON INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Anghami
Started: December 2011
Co-founders: Elie Habib, Eddy Maroun
Based: Beirut and Dubai
Sector: Entertainment
Size: 85 employees
Stage: Series C
Investors: MEVP, du, Mobily, MBC, Samena Capital
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Samaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
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Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
The Florida Project
Director: Sean Baker
Starring: Bria Vinaite, Brooklynn Prince, Willem Dafoe
Four stars
VEZEETA PROFILE
Date started: 2012
Founder: Amir Barsoum
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: HealthTech / MedTech
Size: 300 employees
Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)
Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC
Gifts exchanged
- King Charles - replica of President Eisenhower Sword
- Queen Camilla - Tiffany & Co vintage 18-carat gold, diamond and ruby flower brooch
- Donald Trump - hand-bound leather book with Declaration of Independence
- Melania Trump - personalised Anya Hindmarch handbag
Which honey takes your fancy?
Al Ghaf Honey
The Al Ghaf tree is a local desert tree which bears the harsh summers with drought and high temperatures. From the rich flowers, bees that pollinate this tree can produce delicious red colour honey in June and July each year
Sidr Honey
The Sidr tree is an evergreen tree with long and strong forked branches. The blossom from this tree is called Yabyab, which provides rich food for bees to produce honey in October and November. This honey is the most expensive, but tastiest
Samar Honey
The Samar tree trunk, leaves and blossom contains Barm which is the secret of healing. You can enjoy the best types of honey from this tree every year in May and June. It is an historical witness to the life of the Emirati nation which represents the harsh desert and mountain environments
Company Fact Box
Company name/date started: Abwaab Technologies / September 2019
Founders: Hamdi Tabbaa, co-founder and CEO. Hussein Alsarabi, co-founder and CTO
Based: Amman, Jordan
Sector: Education Technology
Size (employees/revenue): Total team size: 65. Full-time employees: 25. Revenue undisclosed
Stage: early-stage startup
Investors: Adam Tech Ventures, Endure Capital, Equitrust, the World Bank-backed Innovative Startups SMEs Fund, a London investment fund, a number of former and current executives from Uber and Netflix, among others.
The specs
Price, base / as tested Dh100,000 (estimate)
Engine 2.4L four-cylinder
Gearbox Nine-speed automatic
Power 184bhp at 6,400rpm
Torque 237Nm at 3,900rpm
Fuel economy, combined 9.4L/100km
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 201hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 320Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.7L/100km
Price: Dh133,900
On sale: now