According to Sputnik news- The results of Phase 1 and 2 trials of the Russian vaccine against COVID-19, Sputnik V, published in the Lancet journal in September feature it as a promising candidate, as it has shown acceptable levels of safety and immunogenicity, though a relatively low number of people have taken part in the tests, Muhammad Munir, a molecular virologist at the UK's Lancaster University, told Sputnik on Tuesday.
"Based on the data published in Lancet, the Sputnik V showed an acceptable safety and profound immunogenicity. While the number of participants in the study was relatively low, there are features that make Sputnik V a promising candidate," Munir said.
According to the specialist, the idea of using two different adenoviruses as a vector is superior over many vaccines being currently developed by other countries. In general, the immune system perceives the vector proteins as an antigen similar to the S protein of SARS-CoV-2, and as a result, develops immunity against those proteins as well.
"If people are reimmunized (as second dose or repeated vaccine), the pre-existing immunity can compromise the efficacy of second vaccine dose. Using a vector of different nature, as is the in Sputnik V, will avoid this problem," Munir added.
The virologist also said that while there were some pitfalls, the age range of participants — from 18 to 60 years was an advantage of the vaccine trial.
"All-in-all, a positive start and solid foundation for Phase 3 trial," Munir concluded.