Oxford Covid vaccine to be combined with Sputnik V, trials to begin soon

Researchers from UK and Russia are set to test wher combining shots of Oxford- AstraZeneca and Sputnik V coronavirus vaccines could result in better protection than two doses of same. According to Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), trials for same would begin by end of year. Confirming same, British–Swedish pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, revealed that it was exploring possibilities of assessing different vaccine candidates and combining it with its own to boost immunity.

"On vember 23, 2020, following results which showed high efficacy for Sputnik V vaccine, RDIF and Gamaleya Center offered AstraZeneca use of one of two components of Sputnik V vaccine," RDIF anunced. 

'Both based on modified version of evirus'

RDIF has funded development of Sputnik V vaccine by Russia’s Gamaleya Institute and was in talks with AstraZeneca to begin combination trials to its success, Guardian reported. concept of combining two vaccines is called heterologous prime-boost and in past has helped in vaccination programmes against or diseases. As for Sputnik V and AstraZeneca-Oxford COVID-19 vaccine candidate, y are both based on a modified version of evirus, a common cold virus.

vector stripped of its disease-causing genes and modified to carry genetic instructions for making coronavirus spike protein. This prompts cells to cause an immune response which eventually protects against SARS-CoV-2. By combining Sputnik V and AstraZeneca jab, researchers w aim to combine two evirus vectors to incite a stronger response.

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Meanwhile, health officials in UK  are w planning to combine doses of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine with that of AstraZeneca-University of Oxford. Earlier this month, British regulators approved Pfizer’s vaccine candidate becoming first country in world to do so. However, researchers from UK vaccine task force are w hoping to combine both vaccines to bolster ir effectiveness against COVID-19.

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