Russia presents details of its COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V at virtual UNGA event

Russia’s permanent mission to the United Nations along with the country’s Health Ministry, on December 2, held a presentation providing detailed information on Sputnik V vaccine. While the UK has become the first nation to approve the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine candidate, Russia has also stepped up its pitch to get its locally produced vaccine approved by the world body. Earlier in September, Russian President Vladimir Putin had announced that all the UN employees could get the Russian COVID-19 vaccine free of cost.

On August 11, researchers in Moscow had announced the success of ‘world’s first COVID-19 vaccine.’ Named Sputnik V, the vaccine was developed by the country’s health ministry in collaboration with Gamaleya Research Centre. The vaccine has been approved by Russian authorities for inoculation, even as Phase 3 trials to establish safety and efficacy of the drug are still underway.

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'Virtual event' 

The virtual event titled “Sputnik V: Vaccine Against COVID-19”, was held alongside a special session of the UN General Assembly. In the event, Russian Health ministry laid intricate details about the vaccine and stressed that it had registered 95-per cent efficacy as per the second interim analysis of clinical trial data released on November 24. Top diplomats including Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko, Russia's Permanent Representative to the UN Vassily Nebenzia, and head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) Kirill Dmitriyev were also a part of the event, CGTN reported. 

_{UNGA Schedule ; Credits: UNwebTV}

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This comes as the clinical trials for COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V commenced in India on Tuesday, December 1. Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories and the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) announced starting adaptive phase 2 and 3 clinical trials for the vaccine. Russia became the first country to register the world`s first COVID-19 vaccine on August 11.

Last month, Russia claimed that its indigenous COVID-19 vaccine showed 92 percent efficacy against the virus according to the first interim analysis. So far, at least 100,000 people have received the approved and registered drugs based on the human adenoviral vectors.