New Delhi: The Sputnik V Covid vaccine has shown a 95 per cent efficacy rate 42 days after being administered, the second interim trials of the third phase of the clinical trials have shown.
The vaccine is being developed by the Gamaleya National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation in collaboration with the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF).
According to a press release, the vaccine showed a 91.4 per cent efficacy rate 28 days after it was administered whereas a 95 per cent efficacy rate was seen in 42 days.
“As for the adverse effects, we are not noticing any new adverse effects in the earlier trials … What makes the Russian vaccine very special is that it uses the adenovirus platform,” Denis Logunov, deputy director of the Gamaleya National Center, said during a Zoom briefing session Tuesday afternoon.
The RDIF also announced that a single dose of the vaccine will be priced at less than $10 (approximately Rs 740).
About 40,000 volunteers are participating in the third phase of the “double-blind randomized, placebo-controlled study”, of which 22,000 volunteers were administered the first dose while more than 19,000 volunteers received both the first and second doses.
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How efficacy was calculated
The press release noted that the evaluation of efficacy was carried out among 18,794 volunteers 28 days after they received the first dose and seven days after they received the second dose of either the vaccine or placebo.
“The second interim analysis of the Sputnik V vaccine efficacy was carried out on the basis of 39 confirmed cases identified in the placebo group (31 cases) and in the vaccine group (8 cases),” the release stated.
The efficacy was being calculated at three points — when the number of Covid cases reached 20, 39 and 79 among the two groups being tested.
‘The most affordable vaccine’
During the Zoom session, CEO of RDIF Kirill Dmitriev announced that one dose of the vaccine will be priced at less than $10 (approximately Rs 740).
“It is not only one of the most effective vaccines, but one of the most affordable vaccines … the vaccine will require two shots, so the price per patient will amount to less than $20 (Rs 1480.85),” he said.
He added that this would be half the cost of vaccines that have shown similar efficacies.
Dmitriev also stated, “We have achieved industrial production of the dry form of vaccine that would allow us to distribute it and use at temperatures of +2, +8 degree Celsius. So Sputnik V will also be affordable in terms of distribution, logistics and everything else.”
“We are ready to start delivery of Sputnik V to foreign markets, thanks to partnerships with manufacturers in India, Brazil, South Korea, China and four other countries,” he added.
The RDIF in India has tied up with Dr Reddy’s Laboratories to produce the vaccine.
RDIF said it is considering applications from countries and companies to increase its production. For now, it has announced that the first international deliveries will be made to customers in January 2021 “based on the existing partnerships with foreign manufacturers”.
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