According to agencies, Russia has granted regulatory approval to the second COVID-19 vaccine, developed by the Vector Institute in Siberia and it is named as EpiVacCorona. Last month, the vaccine completed its early-stage human trials but results have not been shared and Phase 3 is yet to begin.
President of Russia Vladimir Putin announced the news at a government meeting on Wednesday.
Reportedly, Phase 3 which is a large-scale human trial is most likely to begin in November or December and will involve around 30,000 volunteers, of whom the first 5,000 will be natives of Siberia.
“We will need to increase the production of the first and second vaccine,” Vladimir Putin said and further added that “We are continuing to cooperate with our foreign partners and will promote the vaccine abroad too.”
Sputnik V Coronavirus vaccine, developed by Moscow’s Gamaleya Institute, was licensed for domestic use in August. It was registered before Phase III trials and now the trial involving 40,000 participants is underway in the capital of Russia, Moscow.
In August, Russia became the first country to give license to the Coronavirus vaccine, Sputnik V and now with approval given to the second vaccine, EpiVacCorona it remains to be first.
