Russian Sputnik V vaccine can no longer provide protection against coronavirus

The initial version of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine is no longer able to serve as a reliable protection against coronavirus, microbiologist, academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences and director of the Gamaleya Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology Alexander Ginzburg said.

The original drug provided immunity to COVID-19 for the first two years — from August 2020 until approximately July 2022.

"Starting from mid-summer 2022, when Omicron 1, 2 and 3 variants appeared, the efficiency of Sputnik V has dropped eightfold. With Omicron 4, 5 coming later, the efficiency dropped 20 times,” Gunzburg told Gazeta.ru publication.

The Russian vaccine ceased to provide protection since the arrival of XBB.1.5 omicron variant, known as 'Kraken.' For this reason, the academician believes, it was necessary to change the antigenic composition of the drug in the summer of 2022.

In January 2023, it was reported that specialists of the Gamaleya Institute started working on a vaccine against coronavirus that would ensure protection against new strains, including a new subvariant of the omicron strain — 'Kraken.' Clinical trials of the new drug are currently being conducted in Moscow.