By M&M
Amid the race to develop a Covid-19 vaccine, Russian has launched a coronavirus vaccine, touted as the world’s first such vaccine.
The registration of the vaccine lays ground for mass inoculation even as the final stages of clinical trials to test safety and efficacy continue.
The vaccine, which has been developed jointly by the Gamaleya Research Institute and the Russian Defence Ministry, is set to get official registration this week amid its final phase of testing.
The registration of the vaccine lays ground for mass inoculation even as the final stages of clinical trials to test safety and efficacy continue.
The vaccine began clinical trials on June 18.
Russia dubbed its newly launched vaccine against coronavirus “Sputnik V” after the Soviet satellite.
Till date, no vaccine has been approved for coronavirus, which has so far claimed at least 727,288 lives in the world.
“This morning, for the first time in the world, a vaccine against the new coronavirus was registered in Russia,” said Russia’s president Vladimir Putin during a televised video conference call with government ministers, as per news agency AFP.
Putin further thanked everyone who worked on the vaccine’s development and described it as “a very important step for the world.”
He hopes the country’s research body will soon start mass production of corona virus vaccine.
Further, the president has asked Health Minister Mikhail Murashko to keep him informed about the Covid-19 vaccine, while at the same time noting that he knows “it works quite effectively” and “forms a stable immunity”, according to Russian news agencies.
“I know that it works quite effectively, forms strong immunity, and I repeat, it has passed all the needed checks,” said Putin.
He emphasized that the vaccine underwent the necessary tests.
Adding that one of his two daughters has received a dose of the vaccine and is feeling well, according to Associated Press reports.
Alexander Gintsburg, director of the Gamaleya National Research Centre, claimed that coronavirus particles used in the anti-COVID-19 vaccine cannot harm the body, reported Sputnik news agency.
According to the Gamaleya center’s head, the drug used inanimate particles created on the basis of adenovirus and there are no concerns that the vaccine could potentially cause harm to a person’s health.
“The particles and objects that can reproduce their own kind are the ones that are considered alive. The particles in question cannot multiply,” Gintsburg was quoted as saying.
Kirill Dmitriev, the head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund which finances the vaccine project, said Phase 3 trials would start on Wednesday.
While industrial production was expected from September and that 20 countries had pre-ordered more than a billion doses.
Putin asked Health Minister Mikhail Murashko to keep him informed about the Covid-19 vaccine, while at the same time noting that he knows “it works quite effectively” and “forms a stable immunity”, according to Russian news agencies.
However, the vaccine’s registration is conditional and trials will continue while production gets underway, said Murashko.
Murashko also added that the first Russian vaccine against the coronavirus will begin to be produced at two sites – the Gamaleya Research Institute and the company Binnopharm.
“The two-stage injection plan helps form a lasting immunity. The experience with vector vaccines and two-stage scheme shows that immunity lasts for up to two years,” the Health Ministry said, as reported by Sputnik News.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) has raised concerns over COVID-19 vaccine after Moscow announced it aims to launch mass production in September.
The UN health agency urged Russia to follow the established vaccine guidelines before being rolled out.
As per the WHO, six vaccine candidates are currently in the late-stage phase of clinical trials.
