Russia registers world’s 1st COVID-19 vaccine for animals

MOSCOW, Mar 31 (PRIME) -- Russia has registered Carnivac-Cov, the world’s first COVID-19 vaccine for animals, and may launch its mass production in April, Konstantin Savenkov, deputy director of the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Oversight, told reporters on Wednesday.

He said that the vaccine was developed by the Federal Center for Animal Health (All-Russian Research Institute for Animal Health, ARRIAH).

“Cats, dogs, arctic foxes, minks, foxes, and other animals took part in the clinical trials of Carnivac-Cov that started last October,” Savenkov said.

”Results of the tests allow us to conclude that the vaccine is harmless and its immunogenic activity is high as all tested animals showed the antibodies for the coronavirus in 100% of cases.”

The service is now studying duration of the immunity developed after using the vaccine, currently at no less than six months. “We may launch mass production of the vaccine already in April on the basis of the country’s largest platform for production of animal medicines, the Federal Center for Animal Health,” he said.

The vaccine is of high importance, because some animals are susceptible to the COVID-19 coronavirus, and there were two registered cases of cats catching the coronavirus in Russia. Carnivac-Cov could prevent mutation of the virus, he said.

He also said that companies from Greece, Poland, Austria, the U.S., Canada, and Singapore expressed interest in the vaccine.

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