Russia on Thursday approved a single-shot COVID19 vaccine ‘Sputnik Light’ that demonstrated 79.4 percent efficacy compared to 91.6 percent for the two-shot Sputnik V.
Introducing a new member of the Sputnik family – a single dose Sputnik Light!
It’s a revolutionary 1-shot COVID-19 vaccine with the 80% efficacy – higher than many 2-shot vaccines.
Sputnik Light will double vaccination rates and help to handle epidemic peaks ✌️ pic.twitter.com/BCybe8yYWU
— Sputnik V (@sputnikvaccine) May 6, 2021
The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), which helped finance the vaccine, said in a statement the results were drawn from data taken from 28 days after the injection was administered as part of Russia’s mass vaccination program between 5 December 2020 and 15 April 2021.
In a virtual media conference, RDIF CEO Kirill Dmitriev stated that its efficacy is higher than that of many two-dose vaccines. However, the two-dose Sputnik V vaccine would remain the main source of vaccination in Russia, which has already authorized two other vaccines for use.
RDIF also added that the move will pave way for the immunization of a larger number of people in a shorter time frame.
Developed by Moscow’s Gamaleya Institute, the one-shot vaccine will cost under $10 a dose and has also been earmarked for export and could increase the number of people with partial immunity. The institute also added that Sputnik Light has proven effective against all new strains of the coronavirus and no serious adverse events were registered after vaccination with it.
Dmitriev named India, South Korea, and China among the countries that will produce Sputnik Light. “We have partnerships with more than 20 producers in 10 countries and they will make both versions of the vaccine,” he said.
Sputnik Light has been approved for use in over 60 countries but has not yet been approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) or the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Gamaleya and RDIF launched a global phase 3 study of Sputnik Light in February this year, involving 7,000 people in multiple countries including Russia, the UAE, Ghana, and others to determine the efficacy of the single-shot vaccine. Interim results are expected this month.
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