Denis Manturov told news agency TASS that the vaccine will be produced in three Russian regions – Vladimir, Yaroslavl and Moscow Oblast – with a view to a widespread immunization campaign starting in October.

Moscow’s Gamalei Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, which led the research of the domestic drug, has partnered with companies Generium, R-Pharm, and Binnopharm, with a view to starting serial production next month.

“We will be able to ensure the production volume of several hundred thousand doses of vaccine per month, with a subsequent increase to several million by the beginning of next year,” Manturov said.

Gamalei is not the only Russian institution to be working on a Covid-19 vaccine, but thus far has been the most successful. In late July, immunized volunteers were released from hospital after receiving the drug and undergoing a month of observation.