Torlak's Vaccine Approved In Russia

First control series of the Sputnik V vaccine by the Torlak Institute (BETAPHOTO/Kabinet za inovacije i tehnoloski razvoj /MILOS PERIC/MO)

The Russian National Institute for Epidemiology and Microbiology Gamaleya has certified the quality of the vaccine produced in the Torlak Institute for Virology, Vaccines and Serums in Belgrade, and has allowed the production of the Sputnik V vaccine against the coronavirus in that institute, the Serbian government announced on May 19.

Serbia will thus become the first country in Europe outside Russia to produce the vaccine, the government stated. The initial 'validation series' of the vaccine from Torlak were sent last month for inspection to the Gamaleya institute, whose director, Alexander Gintsburg, has met in Moscow with the minister in the Serbian government, Nenad Popovic.

Popovic has stated that the Russian institute had verified that the vaccines produced in Torlak satisfied the prescribed quality criteria, adding that the Russian partners had allowed Serbia to proceed with the production. A large quantity of the agents for the production of both components of the Sputnik V vaccine is expected to arrive in Serbia within the next two weeks.