COVID-19: 'Combine AstraZeneca and Sputnik V to boost efficacy', say Russian developers

On November 26, the Russian Gamaleya research institute suggested that the pharmaceutical firm of UK AstraZeneca should mix a dose of Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine to enhance the experimental candidate’s efficacy. While Russia announced that its Sputnik V vaccine is 92 percent effective against the novel coronavirus on the basis of the interim trial results, University of Oxford’s and AstraZeneca’s vaccine candidate, now fourth to announce preliminary results, showed only 70% efficacy. 

Earlier, AstraZeneca announced that it produced varying results from the trials due to an error in its dosage. One group reported efficacy of the vaccine oto up to 90 percent. These volunteers were administered half a dose and then full dose. A separate group turned back 62 percent efficacy after they were inoculated with two full shots, the company informed in a press release. Head of biopharmaceuticals research and development at AstraZeneca, Mene Pangalos, confirmed error in the dosage in an interview with The New York Times, calling the trials "useful mistake”.

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In a statement on November 26, the University of Oxford said that some of its participants in the trials didn’t have accurate or the desired concentration of vaccine. Meanwhile, the firm recently announced that it will conduct a new global trial as critics questioned the vaccine’s efficacy of 90 percent against coronavirus. Based on reports, none of the participants were, in fact, over 55 years older in the low dose group. Associate fellow of the global health program at Chatham House, David Salisbury, pointed out that the firm clubbed results from the two groups in the press release to reach an average of 70 percent efficacy and announced the success. 

Trying a 'combined' regimen

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin during a press conference said that Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine has qualified all required checks and will soon begin mass distribution. Manufacturers of Sputnik V called on AstraZeneca to combine experimental shots to boost efficacy. "Current full dose AstraZeneca regimen resulted in 62% efficacy. If they go for a new clinical trial, we suggest trying a regimen of combining the AZ shot with the Sputnik V human adenoviral vector shot to boost efficacy. Combining vaccines may prove important for revaccinations,” Sputnik V  tweeted. 

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