Chinese Sinovac Biotech, with which the Health Ministry of Ukraine signed an agreement on the purchase of vaccines against coronavirus (COVID-19) at the expense of the national budget, authorized the Lekhim group of pharmaceutical companies (Kyiv) to represent the interests of Sinovac Biotech in Ukraine for a period of five years, starting from November 25, 2020 until November 25, 2025.

This follows from a letter from Sinovac Biotech to the Health Ministry and state-owned enterprise (SOE) Medical Procurement of Ukraine, the text of which is available to Interfax-Ukraine, sent to the departments on the eve of the signing of the contract for the purchase of the vaccine.

As the Health Ministry told Interfax-Ukraine, the department started direct communication with Sinovac Biotech in the summer of 2020, it was about the supply of vaccines against COVID-19 to Ukraine.

"By this time, the vaccine for the prevention of SARS CoV-2 infection, developed by Sinovac Biotech, passed the second stage of clinical trials. Subsequently, Sinovac Biotech Ltd sent a letter to the Health Ministry and SOE Medical Procurement of Ukraine, which is the direct executor of the contractual conditions, a letter stating that that Lekhim is the official authorized representative of Sinovac Biotech. During further communication with Sinovac Biotech Ltd through various communication channels, representatives of Lekhim were present, the Health Ministry said.

"Thus, the Sinovac Biotech Ltd Chinese manufacturer of vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 has identified Lekhim as the official representative in Ukraine," the department said.

As reported, the Ministry of Health through SOE Medical Procurement of Ukraine signed a contract for the supply of a vaccine produced by the Sinovac Biotech Chinese company to the country as soon as possible. According to the contract, the cost of the vaccine produced by Sinovac is UAH 504 per dose.