5 Apr 2022 16:26

Russia's FMBA announces launch of production of Covid-19 vaccine Convacell

MOSCOW. April 5 (Interfax) - The St. Petersburg Research Institute of Vaccines and Sera of the Russian Federal Medical and Biological Agency (FMBA) has launched production of the Convacell coronavirus vaccine, the FMBA press service said.

"The St. Petersburg Institute of Vaccines and Sera of Russia's FMBA has launched industrial production of the Convacell vaccine for the prevention of the novel coronavirus infection. Created specifically for the production of the new vaccine, the capacity of the St. Petersburg Research Institute of Vaccines and Sera will be able to produce up to 2 million doses of the vaccine per month, and in the future depending on need," the FMBA said in a statement.

As part of the Year of Science and Technology in Russia in 2021, a new recombinant drugs workshop was built and launched at the St. Petersburg Research Institute of Vaccines and Sera.

"We have begun the process of optimizing the already industrial-level technology, which will make it possible to produce the Convacell vaccine on the required industrial scale within the next two months," First Deputy Director of the institute Anatoly Yevtushenko said.

On March 18, the Russian Health Ministry registered the Convacell vaccine. It was developed by the St. Petersburg Research Institute of Vaccines and Sera. The vaccine is a new generation drug that is aimed at generating cellular immunity. The main mechanisms of the effect of the Convacell vaccine are the production of a specific cellular immune response, a central memory cell phenotype, and the development of an intracellular viral neutralizing response.

FMBA received approval from the Health Ministry to conduct Phase I and Phase II of the clinical trials of its coronavirus vaccine on July 19, 2021. The trials are being conducted among 200 volunteers aged 18 to 60.