Russia's Sputnik V vaccine 92% effective in fighting COVID-19

Scientists gave Russia's Sputnik V vaccine the green light on Tuesday, saying it was almost 92 percent effective in fighting COVID-19 based on peer-reviewed late-stage trial results published in the international medical journalThe Lancet.

The Sputnik V vaccine is the fourth worldwide to have Phase-3 results published in leading peer-reviewed medical journals following the shots developed by Pfizer and BioNTech, Moderna and AstraZeneca.

The results, collated by the Gamaleya National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology in Moscow that developed and tested the vaccine, were in line with efficacy data reported at earlier stages of the trial, which has been running in Moscow since September.

The results were based on data from 19,866 volunteers, of whom a quarter received a placebo, the researchers, led by the Gamaleya Institute's Denis Logunov, said in The Lancet.

Since the trial began in Moscow, there were 16 recorded cases of symptomatic COVID-19 among people who received the vaccine, and 62 among the placebo group, the scientists said.

This showed that a two-dose regimen of the vaccine – two shots based on two different viral vectors, administered 21 days apart – was 91.6 percent effective against symptomatic COVID-19.

"Our interim analysis of the randomized, controlled, phase-3 trial of Gam-COVID-Vac in Russia has shown high efficacy, immunogenicity, and a good tolerability profile in participants aged 18 years or older," co-lead author Dr. Inna V Dolzhikova said at the media briefing.

Pfizer's shot had the highest efficacy rate at 95 percent, closely followed by Moderna's vaccine and Sputnik V while AstraZeneca's vaccine had an average efficacy of 70 percent.

Sputnik V has also now been approved for storage in normal fridges, as opposed to freezers, making transportation and distribution easier, Gamaleya scientists said on Tuesday.

Experts said the phase-3 trial results meant the world had another effective weapon to fight the deadly pandemic and justified to some extent Moscow's decision to roll out the vaccine before final data had been released.

"Stopping the COVID-19 pandemic requires the introduction of different vaccines based on different mechanisms of action to cover diverse global health demands. Our vaccine, along with other SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, helps to diversify the world SARS-CoV-2 vaccine pipeline," said co-lead author Dr Denis Logunov at the media briefing.

(CGTN)