Russia's Sputnik V vaccine maker hopes to receive WHO nod by end of 2021

The Sputnik V vaccine, developed by Gamaleya Research Institute, against COVID is on track to get approval from the World Health Organisation by the end of the year. Vladimir Gushchin, a senior researcher at the institute on Tuesday, stated that the Sputnik V vaccine will get approval from the WHO by the end of 2021, according to ANI. He stressed that approval from WHO was the priority of the Gamaleya Research Institute.

Sputnik V Vaccine to get approval from WHO

Furthermore, Vladimir Gushchi stated that the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) was working on the production, clinical research, and registration of Sputnik V with relevant authorities. Moreover, he suggested that he had expected the approval of WHO in September but it did not happen. Guschin, at the OPENBIO biotechnology forum, asserted that approval would happen in the coming months. "I believe it will happen in the coming months, October or November. I think we will end this year with the vaccine being finally recognized by the WHO," ANI reported Gushchin as saying at the OPENBIO biotechnology forum.

It is pertinent to mention here that the Russia-developed SputnikV vaccine is already recognised in 70 countries that have a population of more than 4 billion people. Russia’s Health Minister Mikhail Murashko on October 2 said that its Sputnik V vaccine against COVID-19 is on its way to being approved by the World Health Organization (WHO). Murashko told the reporters in Geneva that "all barriers have been lifted as of today" for Sputnik V’s approval by WHO, according to ANI. He said, "We do not see any obstacles to continuing our work. This was confirmed by the WHO director-general", ANI quoted Murashko as saying.

Russian Health Minister Murashko met WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus for the procedure to include Sputnik V in the list of vaccines listed by the WHO in combating COVID. It is worth mentioning that the Russian-developed Sputnik V vaccine showed 97.2 per cent efficiency against COVID, Russia's Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) informed on Twitter. The efficacy of the Sputnik V vaccine was demonstrated during a vaccination drive held in Belarus.  

Image: PTI

Inputs from ANI