RDIF: Lancet publishes 3rd stage trials data of Sputnik V

MOSCOW, Feb 2 (PRIME) -- The Lancet has published results of a third stage of clinical trials of Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine, confirming that its safety and efficacy of above 90%, a representative of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) told reporters on Tuesday.

“The Gamaleya National Center of Epidemiology and Microbiology and the RDIF announce publication of the results of the third phase of clinical trials of the Sputnik V vaccine, which confirm its high efficacy and safety, in The Lancet, one of the oldest and most respectable medical journals,” the representative said.

RDIF CEO Kirill Dmitriev said that the data published by The Lancet proves that Sputnik V is one of the best vaccines in the world.

“Only three vaccines in the world, including Sputnik V, have the efficacy of above 90%, while Sputnik outperforms other vaccines in this category because it is safer, its platform is more known, its transportation is easier due to the temperature range of +2–+8 degrees Celsius, and its price is more affordable. Sputnik V is the vaccine for the whole humanity,” he said.

The published data shows the vaccine’s efficacy of 91.6% on the basis of analysis of 19,866 volunteers. Tests on 2,144 volunteers aged 60 and above showed high degrees of safety for elderly people, and efficacy in this age group amounted to 91.8%. More than 98% of vaccinated volunteers showed humoral immune responses, and 100% of them showed cell-mediated responses.

Dmitriev also said that the RDIF planned to announce a partnership with a large Chinese vaccine producer very soon, similar to the partnership that it has with AstraZeneca.

Creators of Sputnik V are ready to work together with producers of vaccines with lower efficacies by providing one component out of the two that Sputnik V has. “We are sure that if we give them one of our components, we will be able to get their efficacy close to 90%. We are open to partnership with all other vaccines, efficacies of which are below 90%,” he said.

He also said that the Philippines and India may approve the use of the vaccine very soon.

The vaccine has been registered in 16 countries. “We expect that Sputnik V will be registered in 25 countries until the end of next week. … We hope that the Philippines will be among them. … If we get the approval in February, we may start supplies to the Philippines in April, but major supplies will be done in May–June,” he said, adding that the fund was working with Indian regulators to get accelerated registration in February or March.

Production of the vaccine is going on in South Korea and India, and it will be launched soon in China. Brazil is already making test batches, and it should expand production in March, he said.

End %%md/jst%%