What is Sputnik V Vaccine?

Also known as “Gam-COVID-Vac”, the Russian Sputnik V* vaccine was developed to fight the virulent Covid-19 disease. 

The Sputnik V vaccine was named after the first artificial Earth satellite that was developed by the former Soviet Union, the “Sputnik 1.”

The vaccine was given emergency approval by the Indian government on 12 April 2021. This was done in a move to “expand the basket of vaccines for domestic use and hasten the pace and coverage of vaccination” - MoHFW.  It is expected to start being deployed by late May 2021. 

*The V stands for the letter “V” in the English alphabet, and not for the Roman numeral for five.

The Sputnik V vaccine was developed by Moscow's Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology. It initially caused some controversy as it was rolled out in Russia before the final trial data had been released, based solely on the preliminary results of phase I–II trials. However, since then, research has proved its benefits and efficacy in fighting Covid-19.

Like the Covaxin vaccine, Sputnik V uses a harmless version of a cold-type virus, i.e., an adenovirus, modified to look like SARS-CoV-2. SARS-CoV-2 is the coronavirus that causes Covid-19.  This vaccine then helps the body produce antibodies to fight off the coronavirus without becoming ill.

Sputnik V was first approved for use in Russia in August 2020 by the Russian Ministry of Health, with the vaccine being launched on 5 December 2020 for high-risk groups. It began to be used widely in Russia from 1 January 2021. 

In India, the vaccine was approved for emergency use on 12 April 2021 from the Drugs Controller General of India after the Indian government signed a deal with the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), who markets the vaccine.

The phase I–II trials began in Russia on 18 June 2020, and its preliminary results on 76 participants were published on 4 September 2020. They indicated that it was safe to use and produced an effective immune response to Covid-19. 

Phase II trials began in early November 2020. And, in February 2021, an interim analysis of the phase III trials showed that the Russian Sputnik V had a 91.6% efficacy, with very few side effects.

India's health ministry and the ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research) conducted a local trial of Russia's Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine and found that the results were similar to the late-stage trials done in Russia. Sputnik V also demonstrated the same level of efficacy in all age groups.

In Russia, the Sputnik V vaccine is produced by the Gamaleya Research Institute and on a larger scale by Russian pharmaceutical companies- JSC Pharmstandard and AFK Sistema. 

India has a deal with the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) to import 125 million doses via Hyderabad-based pharmaceutical company, Dr. Reddy's Laboratories.

The government also secured manufacturing contracts with six domestic vaccine makers to produce more than 850 million doses of Sputnik V in the country. These include Hetero Biopharma, Gland Pharma, Stelis Biopharma, Panacea Biotec, Virchow Biotech, and Shilpa Medicare.

Sputnik V is administered in two doses that are given 21 days apart.

Unlike most other Covid-19 vaccines, the Sputnik V vaccine uses two slightly different formulas (each based on a different adenovirus vector) in the first and second dose, which is thought to give longer-lasting protection against the virus.

Taking the Russian Sputnik V might produce some side effects, including – soreness at the injection site, tiredness,  and a mild fever.

In extremely rare cases, people might suffer adverse effects like breathing difficulties, convulsions, muscle weakness, high blood pressure, and headaches.

Sputnik V has also been approved for emergency use in 65 countries around the world, including: 

• Argentina
• Bangladesh
• Venezuela
• Hungary
• UAE
• Mexico
• Thailand
• Nepal
• Sri Lanka
• Pakistan
• Iran