Coronavirus: Trials have started in Russia to combine Sputnik V vaccine with that produced by AstraZeneca

Russia has started trials of the combination of the first component of the Russian vaccine Sputnik V and the preparation produced by the British pharmaceutical AstraZeneca, as announced by the Russian Direct Investment Fund (FIDR).

“FIDR welcomes the authorization of the Russian Ministry of Health to carry out joint clinical trials on Russian territory of the combined use of the first component of the Sputnik V vaccine with the vaccine produced by AstraZeneca“, The institution said on its Telegram channel on Tuesday.

Phases I and II of the clinical trials of this “cocktail” vaccine are expected to last up to March 2022.

According to the Gamaleya Center, Sputnik V is a vaccine that uses different human adenoviruses as vectors in its two components, the first of them can be used as a single-dose preparation, which received the name Sputnik Light.

Russian scientists argue that using two different vectors provides longer immunity than two-dose vaccines using the same vector.

The FIDR, which promotes and markets the Sputnik V vaccine abroad, indicated that since February clinical trials with the association of Sputnik Light and AstraZeneca in Argentina, Azerbaijan, United Arab Emirates and other countries.

“The Sputnik Light vaccine can be used in combination with other vaccines to increase their effectiveness against new strains that appear as a result of viral mutations”, underlines the statement.

(With information from EFE)

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