Italy's INMI, Russia's Gamaleya Institute Discuss Vaccine Cooperation - Authorities

Italy's Lazzaro Spallanzani National Institute for Infectious Diseases (INMI) has discussed scientific cooperation in development and use of Russia's Sputnik V vaccine with the Gamaleya Epidemiology and Microbiology Center, the coronavirus response center of the country's Lazio province said on Friday

ROME (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 05th March, 2021) Italy's Lazzaro Spallanzani National Institute for Infectious Diseases (INMI) has discussed scientific cooperation in development and use of Russia's Sputnik V vaccine with the Gamaleya Epidemiology and Microbiology Center, the coronavirus response center of the country's Lazio province said on Friday.

Among the participants in the discussion, which was held online, were the heads of both institutions, the Gamaleya Institute's Alexander Gintsburg and the INMI's Francesco Vaia, as well as Lazio's top health official Alessio D'Amato and a representative of the Russian Direct Investment Fund. During the meeting, they presented new data and discussed aspects of development and clinical use of the Sputnik V vaccine and new monoclonal antibodies.

"Both institutes shared the opinion about the necessity of establishing stable scientific cooperation aimed at development and clinical assessment of new vaccination strategies and treatment [of COVID-19].

The two institutes will soon sign a memorandum on mutual understanding," the province said in a statement.

Earlier in the day, D'Amato mentioned asking the Italian government to consider producing the Russian vaccine in the country or authorize its use in order to be ready when it is approved by the European Medicines Agency.

The Italian authorities have set an objective to vaccinate at least 70 percent of the population and achieve herd immunity by early autumn.

Since the beginning of the vaccination campaign, 5 million doses have been administered in Italy and over 1.5 million people have received both shots.