In Russia testing a new type of coronavirus COVID-19 has engaged private companies close to the state. Among them, the firm “Litech” academician Vadim Govorun, who was already suspected of corruption in public procurement of medical equipment. His brother Oleg Govorun — known Russian official, the last 20 years working in various positions in the presidential administration and the government of the Russian Federation. Testing has been the company of billionaire Viktor Haritonin, one of the most famous designs of this company — Arbidol, in the promotion of which put a lot of work Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Tatyana Golikova. From other private companies that supply the tests, there is a connection with the CPS, with the main non-staff allergist-immunologist of Ministry of health and businessmen Arkady and Boris Rotenberg, who are considered close to Vladimir Putin. Read more about this in a joint study Znak.com and volunteer anti-corruption project RAVEN.
In Russia, according to Rospotrebnadzor, was held 2.25 million for research on coronavirus. “Vedomosti” reported that this is the second in the world after the United States, where it was made of 4.49 million tests. While the number of tests per 1 thousand people in Russia with the figure of 16.4 is only in fifth place.
According to Roszdravnadzor, in addition to state-owned enterprises, test kits for coronavirus recorded seven private companies: LLC “Scientific-production firm “Litech””, JSC “Generium”, OOO “Evotec-Mirai Genomics”, OOO “Smartlift”, LLC “DNA-Technology TS”, JSC “Vector-best” and “Mediplex”. Most of them associated with large medical holding companies, operating for over 20 years and regularly receive government contracts.
Brother in AP, suspicions of corruption and a house in Italy
That a new outbreak of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 worldwide is expected in the fall and to prepare, in Russia it is necessary to conduct mass testing of the population, academician of the RAS, General Director of INSTITUTE “Federal scientific-clinical center of physico-chemical medicine” FMBA of Russia Vadim Govorun said in the broadcast channel “Russia 24” on April 13. In his opinion, in addition to a clear diagnosis, an equally important objective of testing is to understand how the virus is spread in the population, including asymptomatic carriers, “to determine the true rate of complications”. “Because when we talk about the percentage of complications from the diseased or accidentally revealed — it’s not very reliable information. Different countries provide different information on this issue”, — explained the talker, adding that information about the real number of infected people will allow to predict the exact timing of the onset of the next wave and to “prepare the health system to adequately answer”.
Approximately two weeks before interviews, March 27, Roszdravnadzor has registered a test system for the coronavirus of the Moscow company OOO “Scientific-production firm “Litech”,” in which Vadim Govorun owns shares in the amount of 75%. The remaining 25% belong to the scientist Alexei Podoplelov.
Vadim Govorushenko video on the channel “Russia 24”
Firm “Litech” was registered in 1992. Prior to that, Vadim Govorun worked in the Institute of physico-chemical medicine, where he studied biotechnology. After interning in Berlin, he suggested to his younger brother Oleg Govorun, a student at the Moscow forestry engineering Institute on the specialty “chemical engineer”, to create his own biotech company to develop kits for the diagnosis of infectious diseases (talked about this business FM). The Director was Tatiana Volozhin, which at that time was the wife of Oleg Govorun. As head of the company, according to SPARK, it is referred to until the end of 2007. She later became the Deputy of the state Duma, and then refused the mandate for the post of trade representative of Russia in Denmark.
Oleg Govorun from the early 2000s, he held various positions in the presidential administration and the government, he was considered a friend of Vladislav Surkov, the former chief ideologist of the Kremlin. In different periods he was the head of the presidential administration of the Russian Federation on domestic policy, was the presidential envoy in the Central Federal district, Minister of regional development and was head of the office of the President of the Russian Federation on socio-economic cooperation with CIS States, Abkhazia and South Ossetia. From may 2019, he holds the position of Deputy General Director of JSC “House.of the Russian Federation”.
Formally, with “Literom” Oleg Govorun was not bound, but she is close to her company, co-owner of which is also Vadim Govorun, regularly receive government contracts. According to SPARK, the total amount of state contracts, OOO “SPF “Litech”” since 2006 was 811,2 million. Including from 10 to 20 April, the company signed four contracts for the supply of reagents for testing for the coronavirus totaling 960,9 thousand rubles. Customer on three contracts stands health of the Vologda region Severstal, the fourth — subordinated Federal mediko-biological Agency of Siberian Federal scientific-clinical center. Price for one set is 16 723 thousand rubles.
Oleg ГоворунPravda Komsomolskaya / Russian Look / Global Look Press
In turn, the company “Laboratory “Litech”” (also 75% owned by Vadim Govorun, and 25% — to Alexey Podoplelova) April 14, received a contract in the amount of 6 million rubles from the city clinical hospital № 18, Ufa on laboratory studies of biological material for the detection of RNA of the coronavirus SARS-Cov-2. It is about 5 thousand studies, each worth 1.2 thousand. Since 2011, the laboratory received government contracts totaling 525,3 mln.
The volume of government contracts Novosibirsk company “Siblabservis” with the same founders for the period of 2007 amounted to 189.6 million rubles.
The career of Vadim Govorun went up along with business development. In the biography published on the website of the Federal scientific-clinical center of physico-chemical medicine, which he heads, talker immodestly presented as “the scientist with world name”, which “made a great contribution to the development of physico-chemical medicine, biochemistry and molecular biology, as well as in the use of scientific achievements in theoretical and applied medicine.”
According to recent statements of Vadim Govorun, in 2018, he earned 14.7 million rubles, almost twice more compared with the 2017 year, when he dropped to 7.55 million. However there was no change in the assets, according to open sources, did not happen at least in 2015 (for the period of the Declaration is available on the website of the FMBA).
In addition to two land plots, residential houses and apartments in Russia Vadim Govorun wife own a house (200 square meters) and land (765 square meters) in Italy.
They ride RX450Н Lexus and Audi Q5.
Clouds the biography of Vadim Govorun episode in the Rostov region. In the summer of 2017 regional UFAS has decided that the LLC “SPF “Litech”” and the southern Federal University (SFEDU) was agreed at the time of purchase for the University in 2015, “mass spectrometry and automated analytical equipment” over 33.6 million rubles, resulting in “Litech” was the only bidder, and the contract was awarded at an inflated price. It was about the violation of paragraph 1 of part 1 of article 17 of FL-135 “On protection of competition”. In the Rostov mass-media referring to sources in law enforcement bodies then even wrote that in relation to Vadim Govorun, on the one hand, as a former Advisor to the rector of SFU, and on the other the founder of “Litega” opened a criminal case and his alleged suspect in the embezzlement of 9 million rubles from the budget. However, no official confirmation of this was not followed. Lawyers “Liteh”, in turn, through the court of arbitration has achieved a recognition illegal decision of the FAS.
“Despite the fact that brother Vadim Govorun, who held high-ranking positions in the presidential administration and the government, not directly connected with the medical business, a cursory monitoring confirms the presence of contracts between agencies of the presidential administration and the company Vadim Govorun in the period when his brother Oleg Govorun was appointed head of internal policy Department of the presidential administration. It is also impossible to ignore the fact that the part of the government contracts of the company “Litech” was received from FMBA structures, while Vadim Govorun is head of one of the institutions of FMBA” — drew the attention of the participant RAVEN, Deputy Director of “transparency international — Russia” Ilya Shumanov.
The company “Litech” was sent a request with a request for comments, the answer is no.
Billionaire close to Golikova
Pharmaceutical company JSC “Generium” (net profit in 2018 — 3,33 billion) billionaire Viktor Haritonin got the permission of healthcare to sell reagents for testing for coronavirus on April 2 and two days later signed the first contract, selling 31 set for 1.63 million rubles (52,8 thousand rubles each) to the Territorial center for disaster medicine of the Republic of Buryatia. Over the next two weeks until April 20, was concluded 18 contracts in total amount of 98.5 million rubles. One of them is in the amount of 1.63 million rubles from the king Center against AIDS and infectious diseases was terminated by agreement of the parties, the rest are completed or fulfilled. For example, three contracts, in the amount of 10.5 million rubles each, signed with “Generium” in one day on 18 April, the Ministry of health of the Astrakhan region. In addition, 16.3 million rubles for the set of reagents company spent Siberian Federal scientific-clinical center FMBA; 10.9 million rubles Omsk Center for prevention and control of AIDS and infectious diseases.
“This development we see the mobilization of scientific and industrial resources for tasks of national importance. Implementation of the best standards of laboratory diagnostics in a pandemic, synergy departments and teams helps to implement projects and provides unprecedented speed of evolution of the technical characteristics of development of diagnosticums coronavirus — from the simple to the advanced,” — said in a statement about the tests of the company for the coronavirus first Deputy head of the Ministry of industry and trade Sergey Tsyba, published on the website of the “Generium”.
“Generium” enjoyed the support of the state and to the pandemic. In 2015 and in 2018, the company received subsidies from the Ministry for a total amount of 276 million rubles. The money, according to SPARK, have been used to offset the cost of clinical trials of drugs, and credit issued for the realization of the investment project.
In biotechnological center “Generium” developing a cure for hemophilia, cancer and other diseases.
However, as wrote Forbes, a major role in the development of business Haritonin was played by the promotion of Arbidol.
In 2009, he was included in the Russian list of vital medicines, and in 2010 during a business trip to Murmansk Vladimir Putin has made it a special focus, asking the cost of the drug at a local pharmacy. The most active government promotion of Arbidol was engaged Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova, which is believed to be close to Haritonin.
Tatyana Golikova called “Madame Arbidol” for her contribution to the popularization of preparatory of the President of the Russian Federation
In February, the national Commission of the Ministry of health of China released the sixth version of the recommendations for the treatment of coronavirus pneumonia, according to which an antiviral agent was offered three times a day, take 200 mg of the drug “Abidal” is likely a generic Russian preparation “Arbidol”. It was a new occasion for publications in the media about the unproven effectiveness of this medication. According to the manufacturer, the drug was developed in 1974 by scientists of all-Union scientific research chemical-pharmaceutical Institute (VNIKHFI). Development from molecule to product registration it has been 14 years. “During this period, numerous experiments were obtained comprehensive information about the mechanism of action of the drug, its high safety and efficacy in a number of successful animal experimentation in the study of clinical action of the drug”. Meanwhile, the world health organization (who) has recognized the clinical trials of the drug Аrbidol, conducted from 1993 to 2004, is not of sufficient quality to meet the requirements of evidence-based medicine.
The trail of Rotenberg and company Yevtushenkov
Most government contracts for the supply of tests for coronavirus from private companies received OOO “Evotec-Mirai Genomics” — 272.8 million rubles in the framework of five contracts for a month from mid-March to mid-April. The largest customer in the amount of 192 million rubles became the Department of health of Moscow. Another contract for 72 million rubles was signed with the medical center “Reserve” the Moscow region, two contracts for 1.35 million and 2.25 million rubles, with the Center of hygiene and epidemiology of Moscow, at 5.38 million rubles — from the Central clinical hospital of the President administration of the Russian Federation.
In this company, “Evotec-Mirai Genomics” was associated with another company that logged tests — LLC “Smartlift”. According to SPARK, the Japanese company Mirai Genomics owns 50% of LLC “Evotech-Mirai Genomics”, and 49% in CJSC “Biomed”, which also owns zaynullin Ramil is one of the founders of the “Smartlift”, he owns 18%. The remaining 82% of the company owned by another Japanese company “LVL”.
Vladimir Putin and Arkady Rotenbergs of the President of the Russian Federation
“Evotec-Mirai Genomics” as it was already mentioned by “the Source”, is also associated with the brothers Arkady and Boris Rotenberg, which are believed to be well received in the entourage of President Vladimir Putin. One of the founders of OOO “Evotec-Mirai Genomics” with a share of 50% of the company is “Genetic technology”, 33% in which the investment Fund “Delta” owned by the management company “Mecorp”. UK in turn owns shares or whole companies related to the projects involving Rothenberg: LLC “Gazprom Burenie” (16,29%), LLC “Football club “Sochi”” (100%), “Natsproekta” (100%).
“Rothenberg are not beneficiaries of the company “Mecorp” or affiliated with “Evotek-Mirai Genomics”,” said Znak.com the press service of Arkady Rotenberg.
Vladimir Yevtushenkov is acting more openly. “Daughter” of his “Sistema” company “the System-biotech” received registration for tests in Roszdravnadzor. However, while it has not achieved such success in public procurement, as a company related to Mirai Genomics. According to SPARK, a company Yevtushenkov has received only one contract in the amount of 2.5 million rubles from the Moscow health Department.
The company’s main non-staff allergist-immunologist of Ministry of health
Moscow “DNA-Technology” — another group of companies long operating in the market of manufacture of devices and reagents for tests, registered in Roszdravnadzor new test system for detection of coronavirus infection on 1 April. As stated on the website of the company, it was established in 1993 and “brought together the experience of leading employees of state research center “Institute for high energy physics” and fgbu “SSC immunology Institute” FMBA of Russia”.
While “DNA-Technology” has received only nine state contracts for the supply of test systems for COVID-19 for the sum of 4,58 million roubles. The customers were, in particular, Labytnangskoy city hospital (YNAO), national medical research center of radiology Ministry of health Russia, mediko-sanitary part of № 54 of the Federal penitentiary service.
Rahim Khaitov while receiving state awards from Vladimir Putinit of the President of the Russian Federation
Relative to the overall volume of the company’s contracts with government agencies this bit: from the beginning with “DNA-Technology”, according to SPARK, was signed 69 contracts for a total amount of 122,4 million roubles. The total volume of government contracts for this legal person only for the period since 2008 is 713,6 million.
The company has powerful backers. Until 2019, in number of founders of LLC “NPF DNA-Technology”, according to SPARK, was Rakhim Khaitov immunologist, academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, from 1988 to 2014, head of the Institute of immunology Russia. Now this institution is headed by the son of the academician Musa Khaitov. Rakhim Khaitov, in turn, is the main non-staff allergist-immunologist of Ministry of health of the Russian Federation. In 2012 Khaitov together with a colleague scientist REM Petrov has received from Vladimir Putin’s state prize for “outstanding achievements in scientific and practical development of immunology”.
Now the cofounders of the group “DNA Technology” and head of the company “promos” are scientists Dmitry Trofimov, Iurii Trofimov and Margherita Boldyrev, people from different structures of the Ministry of health and FMBA.
The General Director of OOO “NPO DNA-Technology” works Vladimir Dmitrov from 2000 to 2009, oversaw the administration of Protvino near Moscow, where the manufacturing company. The new building enterprise was opened in February 2020.
The company, established on the basis of the scientific center of Rospotrebnadzor
JSC “Vector-best”, created in the 1990s on the basis of scientific center of Virology and biotechnology “Vector” of Rospotrebnadzor, started testing for the coronavirus at the end of March. Both companies are located in the science town of Koltsovo in the Novosibirsk region. “We produce more than 600 kinds of products, including for the diagnosis of HIV infection, viral hepatitis, urogenital, and herpes viral natural focal infections, helminth infections, tuberculosis, anaemia, gastro-intestinal and cardiovascular diseases,” — said on the website of the company “Vector-best”.
The largest contract this year for the amount of 178,6 million rubles, according to SPARK, “Vector-best” signed in early April with the Federal center of hygiene and epidemiology of Rospotrebnadzor. Large amount of the contract was 126.4 million roubles for delivery of reagents to test for coronavirus (10,5 thousand rubles for one set). The remaining amount will be spent on testing other infections.
In addition to this contract, “Vector-best” put the tests for coronavirus Novosibirsk regional hospital and Federal research center for basic and translational medicine contracts with a total value of USD 114.9 thousand 359,1 thousand rubles, respectively.
Since the beginning of 2020 “Vector-best” has received contracts worth about 224 million rubles in 2019 in the amount of 42,5 million roubles. Net profit of the company, according to SPARK, at the end of 2018 made 628,7 million rubles in revenues from sales in the amount of 3.7 billion rubles.
Medicines and mineral water
Organized in 2018 Podmoskovnaya company “Mediplex” also registered a test system for coronavirus in healthcare. Until all contracts in 2020 in the amount of 41.5 million rubles are only associated with the delivery of appropriate reagents. Signed three contracts with the Krasnogorsk STI clinics (9,45 million), with the Kolomna Central regional hospital (4,72 mln), and the Royal hospital (27.3 million rubles).
OOO “Mediplex” is included into group of companies “medial”, which was established in 1994 and specializiruetsya mainly supply of drugs in the field of Immunobiology. OOO “Medipal-cancer”, which is included in the same group of companies is a major supplier of medicines to government agencies. From the beginning of 2020 “Medipal Onco” has already received state contracts in the amount of 4.24 billion. Over the past five years, the volume of state contracts amounted to 36.2 billion rubles.
In addition to the supply of medicines, group of companies “Medipal” sells drinking water Gumista. LLC “Priority”, which was the site of the brand, belongs to “Medipal Onco”.
“Contracts for the supply of scarce tests develops a narrow circle of businessmen”
“We can say that before the budget utilization for the supply of tests COVID-19 approved consisting in the exhaustive list of companies, most of which have a clear link with the authorities. Sometimes the situation takes an extreme form when the state contracts for the supply of scarce tests COVID-19 develops a narrow circle of businessmen that have any friendly contacts with top officials of the country or are in kinship with senior officials. Individual pattern, you can highlight the companies that supply the tests to check COVID-19, which are created by current or former officials from the medicine, obviously, monetizing your connections and contacts gained in the public sector.
The whole set of marked practices is the cronyism, nepotism and favoritism — during the epidemic of the coronavirus increases the cost of liquidation of consequences from the epidemic and reduces the effectiveness of state efforts to contain the epidemic”, — said the participant of the RAVEN, the Deputy Director of “transparency international — Russia” Ilya Shumanov.
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