Russia is seeking the European Union’s (EU’s) approval for its Sputnik V vaccine against the Coronavirus (COVID-19), the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, and has submitted an application to the relevant authority.
The application for approval was submitted to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) by the Russian Direct Investment Fund, which has supplied part of the financing for the vaccine and is marketing it abroad.
The EMA is expected to review the vaccine next month, according to it.
Russia plans to have the quality, safety and efficacy of the vaccine called Sputnik V assessed by the World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday, it said.
The vaccine’s active ingredient was the first in the world to be released for widespread use, in mid-August, although the fact that key testing had not been completed triggered international criticism.
No independent studies of the vaccine have been carried out.
Nonetheless, a mass inoculation campaign, launched in early December, is under way in Russia, in parallel with widespread Phase III testing.
The Russian government plans to vaccinate 60 per cent of the populace by the summer.
So far, some 1.5 million people have received the jab.
Russia is also selling its vaccine abroad including to Hungary, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan.
It will also be used in Argentina, Bolivia, Serbia and Venezuela once it has been approved for emergency use, according to the Russian authorities.
Russia has already released a second vaccine, called EpiVacCorona, and mass production is due to begin next month, according to the authorities.
Until then, the government will continue its vaccination campaign using Sputnik V.
