MOSCOW (AP) – The developers of the Russian coronavirus vaccine Sputnik V announced on Monday that they have signed an agreement with AstraZeneca to use a combination of the British drug manufacturer’s COVID-19 injections and a component of the vaccine made in Moscow. , To test.
The developers of Sputnik V presented the approach to AstraZeneca last month, suggesting that it could increase the effectiveness of the British vaccine. The company announced a study to test the combination on Dec. 11 and signed a memorandum of collaboration with the Moscow-based medical research institute, the Gamaleya Institute, the Russian Direct Investment Fund, and the Russian drug company R-Pharm on Monday.
AstraZeneca co-developed its vaccine with the University of Oxford. The Gamaleya Institute developed Sputnik V and the Russian Direct Investment Fund financed the project.
Speaking at a conference call to mark the signing of the memorandum, Russian President Vladimir Putin praised the collaboration between AstraZeneca and Russian scientists, saying that it “will be possible to achieve a breakthrough in working on vaccines and a number of other vital medicines. ”
The trials are expected to begin “in the near future,” said Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund.
Russia was heavily criticized for giving regulatory approval to Sputnik V in August after the vaccine was tested on only a few dozen people. This month, Russian authorities have begun mass vaccinations with Sputnik V, even though it is still undergoing the advanced investigations of tens of thousands of people necessary to ensure its safety and effectiveness.
The developers of the vaccine have said study data suggests the vaccine was 91% effective, a conclusion based on 78 infections among nearly 23,000 participants. That’s far fewer cases than Western drug manufacturers have collected in the latest tests before analyzing the efficacy of their candidates, and key demographic and other details of the study have not been released.
The latest research results on the vaccine, developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University, suggest that it is safe and about 70% effective. Health officials around the world are hoping to rely on the UK vaccine for its relatively low cost, availability and ease of use. However, questions remain about how well it can help protect the over-55s, a major concern given that older people are more vulnerable to COVID-19.