Binnopharm Group (part of Sistema) and Sartorius, one of the leading global manufacturers of equipment for the biopharmaceutical industry, have signed a strategic partnership agreement to set up the production of biotechnological medicines, including vaccines against COVID-19.

Rustem Muratov, CEO of Binnopharm Group, said:

Two years ago, Sartorius became our technology partner, and together we started to develop a platform for the manufacturing of adenovirus-based products, including Sputnik V, a COVID-19 vaccine. The platform relies on a comprehensive technological solution, combining equipment, guidelines, and estimates for manufacturing supplies and other components. Development and manufacturing of biotechnological medicines are among our focus areas where we wish to make headway, including as part of our strategic partnership with Sartorius.

Irina Volkova, CEO of Sartorius Russia, said:

This technology platform for manufacturing vector systems is versatile and can be easily transferred to other locations, including abroad. We are planning to expand our partnership with Binnopharm Group beyond biotechnology to include such promising areas as gene therapy, cell-based medicines, and viral vector-based products.

In 2019, Binnopharm Group and Sartorius joined forces in a project to scale up production of the Sputnik V vaccine. At that time, only two companies in the world, Sartorius and GE Healthcare, produced equipment for manufacturing vector vaccines. Its partnership with Sartorius helped Binnopharm Group to launch industrial production of the vaccine in a record time of four months.