South Korean Health Authorities Announce "COVID-19 Vaccine to be Released from the End of This Month"... Nationwide Vaccination to Begin

"Sputnik V Vaccine Launch from Late This Month to Early November"
Phase 3 Clinical Trials Begin in UAE... Middle East Launch Expected Next Month

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Russian health authorities announced that the Sputnik V vaccine, a novel coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine developed by the state-run Gamaleya Research Institute, could be released as early as the end of this month. It is expected that nationwide vaccination will begin immediately after its release, but concerns about safety are growing as the clinical trials have not yet been fully completed. The vaccine is known to have entered Phase 3 clinical trials in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

According to Russia's TASS news agency on the 12th (local time), Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), which has supported the development of the Sputnik V vaccine, stated in an interview, "The COVID-19 vaccine will be released in Russia from the end of this month to early November and will be widely used." CEO Dmitriev emphasized, "Vaccine production is primarily intended to meet domestic demand," and added, "We hope to receive approval and launch it, especially in the Middle East, within November."

Earlier, in August, Russian health authorities became the first in the world to approve the Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine developed by the state-run Gamaleya Research Institute. However, it was approved without Phase 3 clinical trials, leading to safety concerns. Russian health authorities claim they followed procedures necessary to verify safety and efficacy according to their own standards, and Phase 3 clinical trials are currently underway involving 40,000 Moscow residents after the vaccine's approval. It is known that Russian health authorities plan to begin large-scale vaccination as soon as the Phase 3 trials conclude at the end of this month.

Meanwhile, according to CNBC, on the same day, UAE health authorities approved Phase 3 clinical trials of the Sputnik V vaccine within their country, officially starting the clinical trials. Russian health authorities dismissed safety concerns and stated that they will continue to expand clinical trials in the future in countries such as the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, India, and the Philippines.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.