Russia has developed Sputnik V vaccine specifically adapted against Delta and Omicron variants of coronavirus. Russia’s Gamaleya National Research Center of Epidemiology and Microbiology (Gamaleya Center) and the Russian Direct Investment Fund announced the development. The new version of Sputnik V has been Delta- and Omicron-adapted as Omicron is currently the dominant variant around the globe. This new version will also be addressing the L-452-R mutation in Omicron BA5 variant which was not present in the BA1 variant.
“The Delta and Omicron-adapted version of Sputnik V is the most promising version of the vaccine specifically adapted to new variants as compared to those tailored against the combination of the original strain and Omicron variant.
The Sputnik V vaccine adapted against the Delta and Omicron variants provides for a significant reduction in the viral load in the lungs of animals infected with the Omicron BA5 variant,” the Russian medical research institute said in a statement.
The existing version of Sputnik V shows excellent results in preventing hospitalization and death caused by Omicron.
A study conducted by a team of Russian scientists including representatives of the City Clinical Hospital No. 67 named after L.A.Vorokhobov and the Gamaleya Center has demonstrated Sputnik V’s efficacy against hospitalisation caused by Omicron for those vaccinated with 3 or 4 components (re-vaccination with Sputnik Light or Sputnik V after Sputnik V) was 97 per cent and 99.4 per cent against critical cases. These results have been published in June 2022 in the Vaccines leading peer-reviewed medical journal.
