RDIF proposes Pfizer conduct joint trial with Sputnik Light as booster shot

The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) has proposed that US drugmaker Pfizer start joint trials with Sputnik Light as a booster COVID-19 vaccine shot, the RDIF said on Wednesday.

"Delta cases surge in US & Israel shows mRNA vaccines need a heterogeneous booster to strengthen & prolong immune response. #SputnikV pioneered mix & match approach, combo trials & showed 83.1% efficacy vs Delta. Today RDIF offers Pfizer to start trial with Sputnik Light as booster," it said in a Tweet.

It further said that Sputnik V is the first in the world to offer combo trial to AstraZeneca in November 2020, co-sponsored mix & match trials with AstraZeneca, Moderna and Sinopharm.

"Sputnik V was the 1st in the world to offer combo trial to AstraZeneca in Nov 2020, co-sponsored mix & match trials with AstraZeneca, Moderna & Sinopharm. Since then heterogeneous boosting pioneered by Sputnik proved to be effective vs mutations," it added further.

According to an official statement, the data collected by the health ministry confirms that Sputnik V remains protective against newly detected variants and retains one of the best safety and efficacy parameters.

The Russian Ministry of Health has also published data on Sputnik V's efficacy against the Delta variant. The vaccine is 83.1 per cent effective and shows 6x reduction of infection risk. Sputnik V is also 94.4 per cent effective against hospitalizations with 18x reduction in hospitalisation risk," the RDIF statement said.

Furthermore, real-world data obtained during mass vaccinations in Argentina, Bahrain, Hungary, Mexico, Russia, Serbia, the Philippines and UAE demonstrate lack of serious adverse events (such as CVTs or myocarditis). In several countries where multiple vaccines are used, the Russian vaccine has demonstrate done of the best safety and efficacy parameters.

At present, Sputnik V has been approved in 69 countries with total population exceeding 3.7 billion people - nearly half of the global population.

RDIF has concluded production partnerships with more than 20 companies in 14 countries, including the leading manufacturers in India, China, South Korea, Argentina, Mexico and other countries.

The RDIF statement also said that the two-dose Sputnik V vaccine, the single dose Sputnik Light vaccine is also demonstrating high safety and efficacy results in Argentina. Sputnik Light is the first component of Sputnik V (recombinant human adenovirus serotype number 26 (rAd26)).

In particular, data from the Ministry of Health of the province of Buenos Aires showed that Sputnik Light had helped to elicit antibodies in 94 per cent of those vaccinated and provided for a strong immune response.