'Sputnik V to cost less than Pfizer and Moderna's Covid-19 vaccines'

Pfizer and Moderna's vaccines would cost between $39 and $74 per person

A nurse prepares Russia's Sputnik-V vaccine against the coronavirus disease for inoculation at a clinic in Tver, Russia. Credit: Reuters File Photo

Shortly after Moderna, an American pharmaceutical giant that claims its Covid-19 vaccine has an efficacy of around 94.5 per cent said that they would charge governments between $25 and $37 per dose, Russia’s first Covid-19 vaccine Sputnik V makers said on Twitter that their shots would cost lower.

“Translating pharma lingo: the announced price of Pfizer of $19.50 and Moderna of $25-$37 per dose actually means their price of $39 and $50-$74 per person. Two doses are required per person for the Pfizer, Sputnik V and Moderna vaccines. The price of Sputnik V will be much lower,” tweeted Sputnik V in response to Moderna’s announcement.

Also Read: Moderna to charge $25-$37 for Covid-19 vaccine

Earlier, Moderna’s Chief Executive Stephane Bancel told German weekly Welt am Sonntag (WamS) that the company will charge governments between $25 and $37 per dose of its Covid-19 vaccine candidate, depending on the amount ordered.

Also read: AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine shot is key to escaping Covid-19 pandemic for many nations like India

"Our vaccine, therefore, costs about the same as a flu shot, which is between $10 and $50," he was quoted as saying.

On Monday, an EU official involved in the talks said the European Commission wanted to reach a deal with Moderna for the supply of millions of doses of its vaccine candidate for a price below $25 per dose.

(With inputs from Reuters)