Russia says its Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine is 92% effective

Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine is 92% effective at protecting people from COVID-19 according to interim trial results, the country’s sovereign wealth fund said on Wednesday, as Moscow rushes to keep pace with Western drugmakers in the race for a shot.

The initial results are the second to be published from a late-stage human trial of a vaccine that could halt a pandemic that has killed more than 1.2 million people and ravaged the global economy.

Independent experts said knowledge about the trial’s design and protocol was sparse, making it extremely difficult to interpret the figures released on Wednesday.

Pfizer Inc PFE.N and BioNTech BNTX.O said on Monday their shot was more than 90% effective.

IAN JONES, PROFESSOR OF VIROLOGY, UNIVERSITY OF READING, UK

“The Sputnik data is yet more good news for Covid-19 vaccine development. Although based on fewer cases than the recent Pfizer data, the vaccine looks as efficient and, like the Pfizer data, confirms and extends the earlier phase 2 results.

We still need to know about the longevity of the response and the efficiency in different age groups, but the result bodes well for the other trials currently in progress and for having enough vaccine in geographically diverse regions to enable a comprehensive vaccination program on a global scale.”

JOSHUA MAHONY, SENIOR MARKET ANALYST, IG

“The Russian vaccine results are impressive if reports that they are 92% effective are to be believed. Coming swiftly after the Pfizer announcement, Russian authorities have claimed a marginally better rate of protection for their product. However, the lack of market reaction does highlight an element of mistrust over these findings, with the level of adoption in Western nations unlikely to be high for a product out of Russia.

It is also becoming evident that vaccines will likely need to come from a more reliable and domestic source if they are to be provided swiftly, with the UK still expected to be holding out for the results of the Oxford/AstraZeneca trial in the hope they can lessen the logistical hurdles.”