Russia developing another COVID vaccine

Preliminary results may appear in the near future, said Minister of Health Mikhail Murashko.

As reported by TASS, on Saturday the Minister of Health of Russia Mikhail Murashko told reporters that the specialists of the Scientific and Research Institute named after Smorodintsev and the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation are developing another vaccine against a new coronavirus infection, preliminary results may appear in the near future.

“The institution has a high scientific potential, there are both scientific and research and production sites involved in diagnostics. Today, another vaccine against the new coronavirus infection is being developed at the site of this institute. We expect the first preliminary results <…> in the near future”, – the minister said.

As the director of the Research Institute of Influenza Dmitry Lioznov explained to reporters, the vaccine for intranasal use is made on the basis of the influenza virus.

“So this is a similar technology with Sputnik V, which we all know, but in this case, the influenza virus is used. The effect will hopefully be as good as the rest of our vaccines”, – he said.

“It is planned to start clinical trials in the fall, so, at best, winter – next spring, the drug will be available”.

Lioznov also expressed the hope that this drug will help not only protect the population of Russia, but also other countries from the virus.

“This drug is interesting because it has a slightly different production technology, and it is the involvement of different production sites with different competencies that is very important for the formation of exactly the portfolio of vaccines that allow us to quickly reorient ourselves to new challenges, including fast scaling production”, – concluded the head of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation.