This firm says its COVID-19 vaccine to cost lower than Moderna, Pfizer

The price per dose of the Russian COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V will be much lower than that of the vaccines of US drug giants Pfizer and Moderna. The official Twitter handle of the world's first registered vaccine against the outbreak informed.

"Translating pharma lingo: the announced price of Pfizer of $19.50 and Moderna of $25-$37 per dose actually means their price of $39 and $50-$74 per person. Two doses are required per person for the Pfizer, Sputnik V and Moderna vaccines. The price of Sputnik V will be much lower," said the tweet.

According to a spokesman for the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF, the price of the Russian vaccine will be made public next week, TASS news agency reported. Russia became the first country to give regulatory approval to a Covid-19 vaccine in August when Sputnik V was officially registered ahead of large-scale clinical trial.

This month, Russia had earlier said that its vaccine is 92 per cent effective at protecting people from infection according to the first interim analysis. The vaccine was developed by the Gamaleya National Research Centre for Epidemiology and Microbiology of the Russian Health Ministry.

According to the Russian Health Ministry, these vaccines have proved their ability to form lasting immunity for a period of up to two years. The first batch of the vaccine was dispatched to Russian regions on September 12, said the TASS report.

(With inputs from IANS)