Sputnik V vaccine approved in India |
India`s Central drug regulator, the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), has approved the emergency use authorisation of the Russian Vaccine against COVID-19 called Sputnik V. It has now become the third vaccine to get emergency use authorisation from the drug regulator after Covishield and Covaxin. The Russians were the first to come up with a Covid vaccine in August 2021. The name of the vaccine invoked the space race of the 1950s. Sputnik V met with an early controversy that it was rolled out even before conducting a phase 3 trial in Russia. The vaccine has been funded by the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), the country`s sovereign wealth fund. Interim phase 3 data, the results of which came out in February, showed that the vaccine had an efficacy of almost 92% making it one of the most effective Covid shots in the world. The clinical trials of SPUTNIK V in India are being done by Dr Reddy`s Lab. The Hyderabad based, multinational Indian pharma company, Dr Reddy`s Lab has also inked an agreement with the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) for the supply of the Russian vaccine in India. Sputnik V uses a cold-type virus to deliver a small part of the coronavirus spike protein to the body and help develop an immune response to it. It works in the same way as the Oxford/Astrazeneca vaccine does. The only difference is that Sputnik uses two different vectors in two doses, the second dose after 21 days, unlike other vaccines. This makes the immune response stronger to confront the coronavirus. Moreover, the vaccine can be stored at 2-8 degree Celsius which makes it convenient to use in Indian weather. The Sputnik V vaccine will boost India`s capability to take its vaccination drive forward. India is currently in the grip of the second wave of Covid-19 with Maharashtra particularly bearing the brunt.
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