RDIF and ChemRar deliver first batch of Avifavir antiviral drug to Russian hospitals

Moscow, June 11, 2020 - The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), Russia’s sovereign wealth fund, and the ChemRar Group today announce the delivery of the first batch of Avifavir to Russian hospitals.

Clinics and pharmaceutical organizations in the Moscow, Leningrad, Novgorod, Kirov and Nizhny Novgorod regions, as well as in the Republic of Tatarstan and Ekaterinburg have already received the first deliveries of the drug. 60,000 courses of Avifavir will be delivered to Russian hospitals in June. Production of Avifavir could be increased to two million courses per year if necessary.

Avifavir is marked with a Data Matrix digital code. The labeling is an analog of a drug passport, which guarantees the authenticity of the drug and makes it possible to track the entire route of each package: from production to the pharmacy or medical facility. Authenticity can be verified using the Honest Sign mobile app.

Avifavir is one of the two registered COVID-19 drugs in the world. Avifavir has also become the first Favipiravir-based drug in the world approved for treatment of COVID-19. It has shown high efficacy in clinical trials, disrupting the reproduction mechanisms of coronavirus.

On May 29, 2020, Avifavir received a registration certificate from the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation and became the first Russian drug approved for treatment of COVID-19 patients. On June 3, 2020, the Ministry of Health included Avifavir in the seventh edition of the guidelines for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of new coronavirus infection COVID-19.

Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, said

“Russian hospitals have started to receive Avifavir, the first Russian drug against coronavirus, for treating their patients. The drug will be provided free of charge under the Compulsory Health Insurance program. The drug is in high demand across Russia, with negotiations underway to arrange deliveries to almost all regions of the country. We have also received requests for deliveries of Avifavir from more than ten countries. The initial results of clinical trials make this drug one of the most promising in the world.”

Avifavir has proven to be highly effective during the first stage of clinical trials conducted by I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Lomonosov Moscow State University and other institutions.

·        According to the results of the first stage of clinical trials, Avifavir has demonstrated safety with no new or previously unreported side effects detected;

·        Following the first four days of treatment, 65% of the 40 patients receiving Avifavir tested negative for coronavirus, which is twice as many as in the standard therapy group. By day 10, the number of patients whose tests returned negative results reached 90%;

·        Efficacy of the drug is above 80%, a criterion for a drug with high antiviral activity;

·        The body temperature of 68% of patients taking Avifavir returned to normal earlier (on the third day) than in the control group (on the sixth day);

·        The drug is undergoing trials in Moscow, Saint-Petersburg, Tver, Nizhny Novgorod, Smolensk, Ryazan, Kazan, Ufa and in the Republic of Dagestan.

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Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) is Russia's sovereign wealth fund established in 2011 to make equity co-investments, primarily in Russia, alongside reputable international financial and strategic investors. RDIF acts as a catalyst for direct investment in the Russian economy. RDIF’s management company is based in Moscow. Currently, RDIF has experience of the successful joint implementation of more than 80 projects with foreign partners totaling more than RUB1.8 tn and covering 95% of the regions of the Russian Federation. RDIF portfolio companies employ more than 800,000 people and generate revenues which equate to more than 6% of Russia’s GDP. RDIF has established joint strategic partnerships with leading international co-investors from more than 15 countries that total more than $40 bn.

RDIF brings together the best Russian and international technologies in the fight against COVID-19:

·        RDIF and partners have launched the production of the unique Russian-Japanese EMG diagnostic system, which generates results in 30 minutes with a very high accuracy in both stationary and unmatched portable mini-laboratories. The Japan Bank for International Cooperation has joined the project through the Russia-Japan Investment Fund;

·        RDIF and the ChemRar Group have started the mass production of Avifavir, which has proven effective against coronavirus in clinical trials and has become the first in Russia and of the first coronavirus drugs in the world;

·        RDIF has launched a project to diagnose and detect pneumonia, including that caused by coronavirus, using CT scans combined with the Russian-UAE artificial intelligence (AI) technology developed jointly by Group 42 (G42), RDIF and Medscan Group;

·        RDIF has provided support to the public in observing the lockdown restrictions and self-isolation regime, driving a several-fold increase in telemedicine consultations via the Doctis service, as well as in access and subscriptions to the ivi online media library, delivery of Elementaree meal kits and demand for products and services of other RDIF portfolio companies;

·        The Mother and Child Group, an RDIF's portfolio company, has repurposed its largest clinical hospital Lapino to treat patients with COVID-19 symptoms.

·        RDIF was one of the initiators of the Alliance against coronavirus, which also includes the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RUIE), Yandex, Mail.ru Group and the Rossiya Segodnya international news agency. RDIF is actively involved in key initiatives and charity projects.

Further information can be found at www.rdif.ru

ChemRar Group unites R&D service and investment companies in the field of innovative pharmaceuticals for the development and commercialization of innovative medicines, diagnostics, preventive care and new treatments of life-threatening diseases in Russia and abroad.

ChemRar Group celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2020. Throughout its history, the company has maintained and improved the achievements and quality of its medical chemistry and has built a team of world-class employees and scientists. Their efforts have made ChemRar one of the global leaders in the industry today.

Further information can be found at http://en.chemrar.ru/