MOSCOW, November 13. /TASS/. The Russian Direct Investment Fund and South Korea’s GL Rapha have made an agreement to produce the Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine in South Korea, according to a press release published on a website dedicated to the vaccine.

"The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF, Russia’s sovereign wealth fund), and GL Rapha, one of the leading South Korean bio-tech companies (including the subsidiary Hankook Korus Pharm) have agreed to produce over 150 million doses per year of the world’s first registered vaccine against the novel coronavirus infection - Sputnik V," the press release reads.

The RDIF and GL Ralpha also "intend to commence production in December 2020 and a rollout of the Sputnik V vaccine in January 2021. RDIF and GL Rapha will supply over 150 million doses per year produced in South Korea for global distribution."

According to the press release, "the first interim analysis of The Sputnik V vaccine data of Phase III clinical trials in Russia has demonstrated 92% efficacy against coronavirus based on 20 confirmed COVID-19 cases split between vaccinated individuals and those who received the placebo."

"Requests for more than 1.2 billion doses of the Sputnik V vaccine have been received by RDIF from over 50 countries. The vaccine supplies for the global market will be produced by RDIF’s international partners in South Korea, India, Brazil, China, and other countries. The existing RDIF contracts with international partners enable the annual production of 500 million doses of the Sputnik V vaccine outside Russia. RDIF is now considering additional requests from a number of countries and companies to further increase its foreign production capacities," the press release added.