[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] On the 22nd (local time), TASS reported that Russia will begin clinical trials of its third domestically developed COVID-19 vaccine.
According to the report, the Russian Ministry of Health announced that it has authorized clinical trials for the COVID-19 vaccine being developed by the Chumakov Center for Immunobiological Products under the Russian Academy of Sciences.
The Ministry of Health's press office stated, "Clinical trials of the Chumakov Center vaccine will soon be conducted at medical institutions in Saint Petersburg, Kirov, Novosibirsk, and others," adding, "More than 3,000 volunteers will participate in the trials." This appears to be with the intention of proceeding through Phase 3 clinical trials.
The press office added, "Trial participants will stay in the hospital for 16 days after vaccination to monitor their health condition."
Aidar Ishmukhametov, director of the Chumakov Center, announced, "We plan to complete the clinical trials by November this year."
This statement is interpreted as aiming for national approval after Phase 2, similar to the schedule for other COVID-19 vaccines being developed in Russia.
Previously, on the 11th of last month, the Russian government officially approved the Sputnik V vaccine developed by the Gamaleya National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology under the Ministry of Health, making it the world's first official approval.
Unlike the usual vaccine development process, Sputnik V received national approval after Phases 1 and 2, skipping Phase 3, which raised concerns about its efficacy and safety.
Following Sputnik V, the vaccine being developed by the Vector National Center of Virology and Biotechnology in Novosibirsk, Siberia, is currently undergoing Phase 2 clinical trials.
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