What does the Vector Science Center do?

On May 17, Rinat Maksyutov, head of the Scientific Center for Virology and Biotechnology Vector, was fired. As grounds, the order lists “failure to take measures to resolve and prevent conflicts of interest” and “loss of trust”. What is known about the center “Vector” – in the material “Kommersant”.

Scientific and Production Association “Vector-m” (NPO “Vector”) was established in 1985 on the basis of the All-Union Research Institute of Molecular Biology that existed in the Novosibirsk Region. In 1994, the institution received the status of the state scientific center of the Russian Federation – the SSC of Virology and Biotechnology “Vector”. In 1997, on the basis of the organization, one of the two existing WHO collaborating centers in the world for the diagnosis of orthopoxvirus infections and a museum of strains and DNA of the smallpox virus were created.

In 2005, a laboratory was organized at the center to work with highly pathogenic strains of the influenza virus, including avian influenza. In 2009, the institution was one of those responsible for the fight against the pandemic of this disease. In 2019, the center created a Russian vaccine against the Ebola virus.

On January 15, 2020, the Yekaterinburg Research Institute of Viral Infections was merged with the organization. The center was engaged in the study of the COVID-19 virus. On February 14, 2020, the center registered a test system for the detection of coronavirus by PCR.

On October 13, 2020, the institution registered a COVID-19 vaccine called EpiVacCorona. Since April 2021, it has been massively delivered to the regions of Russia. In May 2021, the center registered a test system for detecting the presence of antibodies after vaccination with EpiVacCorona. According to the headquarters, by January 14, 2022, 12,989,540 doses of the vaccine had been introduced into civilian circulation. Initially, the maximum selling price of one dose was 954 rubles. In April 2021, the FAS reduced its cost to 421 rubles. On August 26, 2021, the center registered another coronavirus vaccine, EpiVacCorona-N.

The Center was one of the first in Russia to create test systems for diagnosing HIV infection and hepatitis B. Together with the Institute of Poliomyelitis and Viral Encephalitis of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, it created the only domestic vaccine against hepatitis A. It was the first in Russia to organize the production of genetically engineered human interferon-a-2.

The center employs 1,614 people, of which 139 are doctors and candidates of sciences.