Hungary closed a deal for Sputnik V vaccine on Friday, making it the first EU country on course to receive deliveries of the Russian-made vaccine.
The contract was officially signed in Moscow, in a ceremony attended by Hungary’s Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó and Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko.
On Thursday, Hungary announced it had green-lit the vaccine for use in the country, setting it apart from its other European neighbors. The European Medicines Agency hasn’t approved the shot, although it’s in talks with the Sputnik team.
A spokesperson from the Russian Direct Invest Fund — one of Russia’s sovereign wealth funds and the vaccine’s backer — declined to disclose the details of the contract.
Sputnik has also made inroads in the Middle East, as well as Latin America, where Argentina has signed a supply deal for the two-dose adenoviral shot.
In a press conference Thursday, RDIF’s chief Kirill Dmitriev said that more approvals of the vaccine in Asia and Africa were expected “in the next couple weeks.”
This article is part of POLITICO’s premium policy service: Pro Health Care. From drug pricing, EMA, vaccines, pharma and more, our specialized journalists keep you on top of the topics driving the health care policy agenda. Email [email protected] for a complimentary trial.