Sechenov University in Moscow said it has
completed clinical trials using human volunteers for COVID-19 vaccine, Russian
news agency TASS reports.
According
to Sechenov University Center for Clinical Research on Medications head and
chief researcher Elena Smolyarchuk, study data showed the vaccine candidate’s
effectiveness.
“The research has been completed and it
proved that the vaccine is safe. The volunteers will be discharged on 15 July
and 20 July,” Smolyarchuk was quoted by the news agency.
Having spent 28 days in isolation, the 38 paid trial candidates will be placed under observation for six months after being discharged.
Last
month, Russia granted authorisation for clinical trials of two formulations of
the Covid-19 vaccine candidate, which was developed by the Gamaleya National
Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology.
An intramuscular solution of the vaccine
was tested at the Burdenko Military Hospital while Sechenov University assessed
the vaccine in the form a powder for the preparation of an intramuscular
solution.
The
first stage of testing at the university commenced on 18 June in a group of 18
participants. The second group of the study involved 20 volunteers who were
vaccinated on 23 June.
Institute
for Translational Medicine and Biotechnology director Vadim Tarasov also told
Russian news agency Sputnik that Sechenov University in a pandemic situation
acted not only as an educational institution but also as a scientific and
technological research center that is able to participate in the creation of
such important and complex products as drugs.
“We
worked with this vaccine, starting with preclinical studies and protocol
development, and clinical trials are currently underway,” Tarasov stated.
Prior
to the human trials, the vaccine was tested for its toxicity, safety,
immunogenicity and effectiveness in large and small animals at the Russian
Defence Ministry’s 48th Central research institute.
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