Investment in Russia’s pharmaceutical industry will total RUR122bn ($3.9bn, or (Euro)2.9bn) until 2020, Sergei Tsyb, the Industry and Trade Ministry official responsible for the chemical and bioengineering segments said.

The federal government will supply over RUR66bn ($2.1bn, or (Euro)1.6bn) of the total investment program, he said, adding that the remaining funding will come from non-budget sources. In his words, more than 5 000 innovative pharmaceutical specialists will be trained in the next decade. The government’s investment strategy is expected to “increase Russian-made pharmaceuticals’ share on the domestic drugs market to 50% in money terms by 2020,” he said. The range of pharmaceuticals available in Russia will also change, with the share of innovative products reaching 60% in money terms, the official added.