"Satellite-V" is here! Russia announced the registration of the world's first new crown vaccine. Is it safe and effective?
On the 11th, Russian President Putin revealed good news. He said that Russia has registered the world's first new coronavirus vaccine.
Putin said that this vaccine is very effective, can form a stable immunity and has passed all inspections. This vaccine should be mass-produced in the shortest time. The vaccination should be voluntary.
Data map: Putin (left)
In addition, Putin also revealed the news that his daughter has been vaccinated with this vaccine. After the vaccination, "her body temperature rose to 38 degrees, which was slightly higher than 37 degrees the next day, nothing more."
According to RIA Novosti news, the current vaccine has been named "Satellite-V" (SputnikV). According to sources, the Soviet Union launched the first man-made earth satellite "Satellite-1" in 1957, enhancing space exploration worldwide. Russia's new coronavirus vaccine created a "satellite moment" for the world, and based on analogy, it was named "satellite-V".
What kind of vaccine is "Satellite-V"?
According to the website of the Russian Ministry of Health, this vaccine was developed by the National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology in Gamallea and is a human adenovirus vector vaccine. The so-called adenovirus vector vaccine uses a modified and harmless adenovirus as a carrier, which is loaded with the S protein gene of the new coronavirus to make an adenovirus vector vaccine to stimulate the body to produce antibodies. The S protein is the key "key" for the new coronavirus to invade human cells. The harmless adenovirus wears the "hat" of the S protein and pretends to be "fierce" to make the body produce immune memory. This is a relatively mature vaccine technology route.
The vaccine of this technical route also has shortcomings. The development of recombinant virus vector vaccines needs to consider how to overcome "pre-existing immunity". Take the recombinant new crown vaccine that entered clinical trials as an example. This vaccine uses type 5 adenovirus as a carrier, but most people have been infected with type 5 adenovirus during their growth. There may be antibodies that can neutralize the adenovirus vector in the body. It may attack the vector and reduce the effect of the vaccine. In other words, the safety of the vaccine is high, but the effectiveness may be insufficient.
So specific to "Satellite-V", is the vaccine safe and effective?
According to the website of the Russian Ministry of Health, this vaccine has previously passed a variety of animal (rodent and primate) tests and two groups of volunteers (each group of 38 people) clinical tests. The vaccine does not contain new coronavirus components and can form long-term immunity through two vaccination. According to the experience of using carrier vaccines, immunity can last up to 2 years.
Data map: The staff conducts virus detection. Photo by China News Agency reporter Zhang Chang
In addition, according to previous news from the Russian Ministry of Health, all volunteers developed antibodies after vaccination without serious adverse reactions and complications.
Based on the news from the Russian Ministry of Health, it is not difficult to see that the "Satellite-V" vaccine can make people produce antibodies. But this vaccine has only been tested on less than 100 people, and the third phase of testing (that is, large-scale clinical trials) has not been completed. The third phase of testing is very important for vaccine development, because only through large-scale clinical trials can some uncommon side effects be discovered.
So why did the Russian Ministry of Health pass the vaccine registration? According to RIA Novosti news, Russian Health Minister Murashko previously revealed that the third phase of testing will be carried out simultaneously with the release of vaccines into civilian circulation. In other words, Russia has adopted a method of "observing while using it."
Regarding the practice of the Russian Ministry of Health, the Russian Association of Clinical Research Organizations has sent a letter to the Ministry of Health, hoping to pass the vaccine registration after the third phase of testing. In response, the chief epidemiologist of the Russian Ministry of Health, Brico, responded that the research and development technology of the Russian new crown virus vaccine has been applied in other vaccine research and development, so there is no need to delay registration. In addition, Brico revealed that, in his view, the safety of the vaccine has been verified, and its effectiveness will be further studied next.
Russian Direct Investment Fund (Vaccine Cooperative Producer) President Dmitriev revealed on the 11th that the third phase of the test will start on August 12, and the test data will be announced as soon as it is available.
Who can get the vaccine first?
According to Murashko, the vaccine will be produced at the Gamaleya National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology and the Russian vaccine manufacturer Binnopharm. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Golikova said that it is hoped that the first batch of vaccinations will be medical personnel. According to news from the Russian National Drug Registration Network, the vaccine will officially enter the civilian circulation field on January 1, 2021.
For other countries, Dmitriev revealed that the fund and partners have invested 4 billion rubles in the production of new coronavirus vaccines in Russia. One billion new coronavirus vaccine applications have been received from more than 20 countries.
According to Dmitriev's earlier disclosure, by the end of 2020, the production of vaccines will reach 200 million, of which 30 million will be produced by Russia, and the rest will be produced with the help of partner countries. By 2021, the production of vaccines will reach 3 billion, which can help the world fight the epidemic.
Author: Wangxiu Jun