MOSCOW, March 6. /TASS/. Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine against coronavirus, with an efficacy rate of 91%, has been recognized as the most effective among vector vaccines, the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) said on Monday, citing a study by Chinese researchers published in The Lancet, the leading international medical journal, in late February.
According to the study, vector vaccines typically cause less side effects as compared to mRNA vaccines. In addition, since vaccine efficacy diminishes over time, revaccination is necessary to maintain a high level of immunity.
Sputnik V is among the world’s most effective and safe coronavirus vaccines, as well as the most exportable medication in Russia’s history, the RDIF said. The two-dose vaccine was developed on the basis of heterogeneous boosting (a "vaccine cocktail" using a 26th serotype human adenovirus as the first component and the fifth serotype as the second component).
Sputnik V was registered in Russia on August 11, 2020, becoming the world’s first officially recognized coronavirus vaccine. It has been approved for use in 71 countries around the world with an overall population of more than four billion. Sputnik Light, a booster vaccine, has been approved for use in more than 30 countries.
In February 2021, The Lancet released the results of the third phase of Sputnik V’s clinical trials, which proved its high level of efficacy and safety. The vaccine demonstrated efficacy rates of 91.6% and of 91.8% among volunteers older than 60. Ninety-eight percent of volunteers developed antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 after being inoculated with Sputnik V.