Moscow, September 8: Russia on Tuesday reportedly completed early trials of second potential COVID-19 vaccine. Russia's Vector virology institute in Siberia completed phase-2 of the vaccine against coronavirus, reported Reuters. Human trials of the vaccine began on July 27. Around 100 volunteers participated in the trials. COVID-19 Vaccine Update: Russia in Dialogue With India For Localised Production of 'Sputnik V'.

"Today … the final group of 20 volunteers was released from hospitals," reported news agency Interfax quoting watchdog Rospotrebnadzor as saying.  According to Interfax news agency, results of the trials will be published on September 30. Late-stage trials of Russia’s 2nd potential vaccine against COVID-19 were launched last week.

On Tuesday, the Russian government sought India's help in manufacturing the Sputnik V vaccine and also to conduct Phase-3 trials. Sputnik V, an adenovirus vector-based vaccine, was developed by the Gamaleya Scientific Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, along with the Russian Direct Investment Fund. It was registered on August 11. COVID-19 Vaccine will be Available to Public by October is 'Simply Wrong' Says Lancet Editor.

Last week, the medical journal, The Lancet published the results of phase-1 and phase-2 clinical trials of Sputnik V. As per the journal, the Russian vaccine has shown no serious side effects and elicited an immune response in early human trials. However, Russia faced criticism for approving a vaccine before completion of Phase-3 trials. According to the study, published in The Lancet, the researchers enrolled 76 healthy adult volunteers (aged 18-60 years) for the two Phase-1 and Phase-2 studies -- 38 people in each study.

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