VLADIVOSTOK (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 15th September, 2020) The short time it took Russia to come up with a COVID-19 vaccine is the main victory to date, Ilnaz Imatdinov, senior fellow of the genomic research department of State Research Center of Virology and Biotechnology Vector, told national television.
In August, Russia registered the world's first COVID-19 vaccine, developed by the Moscow-based Gamaleya Institute with support from the Direct Investment Fund. Another two domestic and two foreign vaccines are at the registration stage in Russia. The vaccines in question are those developed by Vector, the Chumakov Federal Scientific Center for Research and Development of Immune and Biological Products, China's Sinopharm and British-Swedish multinational AstraZeneca.
"Certainly, this is the timeline. [Russian] prototype vaccines were developed in a very short period of time, and at the moment they have already shown their effectiveness both in preclinical and clinical trials. This is important," Imatdinov told Channel One, when asked what he considers to be the biggest victory to date.
When asked how it was possible to develop a vaccine in such a short time, the scientist said that everyone worked round the clock.
"Yes, we work seven days a week, often without sleep, but nevertheless we are ready, we are burning with enthusiasm," he stated, adding that the objective was to get a drug that would protect from COVID-19.
As for the Vector vaccine, which is at the registration stage, the first batch for expanded preclinical trials may be produced in November, according to Imatdinov.
