Russia researches deny reports of pausing Sputnik V clinical trials: Report

Slow uptake of new volunteers is due to a new focus on giving those already vaccinated a second base

Denying talks of Covid-19 vaccine shortage, Crocus Medical, an organisation working with Russia's Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology, has said that the clinical trial of Russia’s Sputnik V has not paused, Reuters reported.

“Crocus Medical categorically denies information about the suspension of clinical trials of the Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine due to a shortage of the vaccine distributed by Reuters, citing anonymous sources in the company. This information is false, trials are ongoing, and there is sufficient vaccine supply,” Alexey Butylin, managing director of Crocus Medical, said in a statement.

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Explaining the inoculation process, Gamaleya director Alexander Ginzburg said that the gap between the first and second dose is significant. The first dose has been administered to 20 thousand while the first and second doses have been administered to 9 thousand people.

The decision to slow the uptake of new volunteers is due to a new focus on giving those already vaccinated a second base. He added that there is enough vaccine for post-marketing research.

On October 29, Reuters reported that Russia has temporarily paused the vaccination of new volunteers in its Covid-19 vaccine trial. About 8 out of 25 Moscow clinics hosting the trial and inoculating volunteers said that the vaccination of new participants was on hold while several said they had used up the doses allocated to their clinics.

Alexei Kuznetsov, an aide to Russia’s health minister, said the human trial of the vaccine was continuing. “The target of 40,000 vaccinated volunteers will be met,” he said.

The Gamaleya Institute is partnering with Russian pharmaceutical firms to mass-produce the vaccine shots.

(With agency inputs)