Sputnik V Covid Vaccine Effective Against Omicron Variant

Sputnik V vaccine and the one-shot Sputnik Light booster were found to be effective against the Omicron variant of Covid, reveals a preliminary laboratory study conducted by Russia's Gamaleya Center. The study shows that Sputnik V //demonstrates high virus neutralizing activity against the Omicron variant and is expected to provide strong defense against severe disease and hospitalization.

The Sputnik V has also demonstrated 3-7 times less of a reduction in virus neutralizing activity against Omicron. Sputnik V has shown to be 11.8 times ineffective against Omicron, while Pfizer has shown a 41-fold decline in antibodies generated and Moderna has shown 49-84 times decrease.

"The study was conducted using sera with a longer period after vaccination (more than 6 months after vaccination) as an indicator of Sputnik V's long-lasing protection, in contrast with short studied periods for other vaccines producers (12-27 days for Pfizer-BioNTech and 28 days for Moderna)," the Gamaleya Center said in a statement.

Further, Sputnik Light as a booster significantly increases virus neutralizing activity against Omicron based on sera 2-3 months after revaccination, it said.

The study showed that the virus neutralizing activity against Omicron 2-3 months after a Sputnik Light booster is higher than against the wild-type virus 6 months after Sputnik V vaccination.

Based on the data the expected efficacy of Sputnik V with Sputnik Light booster against Omicron infection could be more than 80 percent, the statement said.

"Sputnik Light as a booster significantly increases virus neutralizing activity against Omicron based on sera 2-3 months after revaccination and is a universal booster to other vaccines inducing stronger antibody and T-cell response," the statement said.

A study published by a research group from scientific institutes including Institute for Medical Virology (Frankfurt) showed that 100 percent of individuals revaccinated with Sputnik Light as a booster developed neutralizing antibodies against Omicron.

Sputnik V and Sputnik Light have not been associated with rare serious side effects such as myocarditis or pericarditis, the Centre said.

Sputnik Light has already been registered in more than 20 countries as a standalone vaccine and a universal booster while Sputnik V has been authorized in 71 countries.



Source-IANS