The Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) of Russia has approved a two-fold reduction in the ceiling price for the EpiVacCorona coronavirus vaccine to 4,210.10 rubles per pack. This is stated on April 1 in the message of the antimonopoly department.
“The Federal Antimonopoly Service has decided to agree on the maximum selling price declared for registration by the FBSI SSC VB Vector of Rospotrebnadzor (Russia) for the following drug included in the VED list (vital and essential drugs. – Ed.): Epivakkorona , a vaccine based on peptide antigens for the prevention of COVID-19 “, – reports TASS with reference to the documents of the department.
The vaccine will be sold in packs of 10 ampoules, each containing one dose (0.5 ml).
In January of this year, the FAS agreed on a maximum price for this vaccine in the amount of 9,541.05 rubles, but until the end of March. The service explained this period, including the high social significance of drugs intended for the prevention and treatment of coronavirus.
Earlier, on March 30, about 200 thousand doses of the EpiVacCorona vaccine were released into civil circulation. According to Rospotrebnadzor, in April this number will increase to 1.5 million doses, in May – 3 million and 5 million by the middle of the year every month.
On March 26, Rospotrebnadzor said that EpiVacCorona helps to form a triple immune defense. The first line of defense is formed by antibodies that interfere with the interaction of the S-protein of the coronavirus with the cell receptor.
The second line of defense consists in antibodies that interfere with the fusion of the viral envelope with the cell membrane, thereby preventing the virus from entering the cell. The third mechanism starts working when the coronavirus enters the cell. Antibodies that recognize the proteins of the virus provoke the activity of special immune cells, and they destroy the infected cells.
On October 14, 2020, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the registration in the country of the second vaccine against COVID-19 – a drug from the Vector Center, EpiVacCorona. Also in the Russian Federation were registered drugs “Sputnik V” and “KoviVac”.