Russia’s sovereign fund, The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) which supports the country’s COVID-19 vaccine initiatives, has tendered requests to the World Health Organization (WHO) to gather an Emergency Use Listing and prequalification for its COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V.
Earlier in August, Russia became the first country to grant regulatory approval for a novel coronavirus vaccine, Sputnik V before it completed the widely mandated phase 3 trials attracting extensive criticism and concerns scientists and doctors about the safety and efficacy of the shot.
An Emergency Use Listing (EUL) will expedite Russia’s efforts to make the vaccine available globally, a WHO prequalification is a global quality tag that ensures vaccines are safe and effective.
Speaking about the current procedures with WHO, RDIF CEO Kirill Dmitriev stated that these steps will allow Sputnik V to be included in the list of medical products that meet leading quality, safety and efficacy standards.
The Gamaleya Research Institute developed Sputnik V vaccine is based on a platform of human adenoviral vectors. RDIF which is marketing the vaccine across the globe has already spoken to several allies to include their vaccine as part of their COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials.
Earlier this month, Russia announced that it will conduct Sputnik V trials in UAE and in India. Indian multinational pharmaceutical company Dr. Reddy’s gathered clearance from The Drug Controller General of India (DGCI) to conduct phase 2 and 3 trials after the vaccine’s initial clinical trial data revealed that the dose provided adequate immunity in the first shot itself.
Russia has also registered its second COVID-19 vaccine, EpiVacCorona in mid-October while trials for its third vaccine are already underway in the country.
