Vladimir Putin calls for boost in production of two Russian COVID-19 vaccines

Vladimir Putin ordered authorities to ramp up the production of two Russian COVID-19 vaccines on Wednesday, October 14. According to reports, he also called for sufficient production to fill up the Russian market first.

"We need to boost production of our first vaccine and the second one, and, of course, we have to fill the Russian market with this medication, first of all", said the Russian President. Putin also congratulated the Vektor research centre for its work on the new COVID-19 vaccine, Russia's second vaccine against the infection to be registered. 

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Early clinical trials started

After announcing the world's first registered COVID-19 vaccine, Russia is reported to have begun the early clinical trials for a second COVID-19 vaccine. According to the vaccine developer, the early clinical trials of a second Russian COVID-19 vaccine have proved successful. 

Earlier on October 1, Vektor, Russia's state virology research centre in Siberia, said that the early-stage trials were successful for its own experimental vaccine, named 'EpiVacCorona'. The first two phases of clinical trials demonstrated the effectiveness and safety of the EpiVacCorona vaccine, Vektor's press department told a Russian news agency. 

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The post-registration clinical trials would begin with 5,000 volunteers in Siberia, Vektor said and added that there would be a separate clinical trial involving 150 volunteers who are over 60 years of age. Further, the lab will begin placebo-controlled trials on 5,000 Russian volunteers between the ages of 18 and 60.

Vektor further said the EpiVacCorona vaccine is a two-component vaccine, and the interval between the administration of the first and second components is 21 days. Russia plans to manufacture an initial 10,000 doses and the production is expected to begin in November, Vektor informed.

In August, Russia had announced that it had developed the world's first registered vaccine named Sputnik V. The vaccine registration raised concerns among Western scientists as the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Moscow's Gamaleya research centre had received approval before the clinical trials had been completed.

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(With ANI Inputs; Image Credits - AP)