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CAMBRIDGE: Britain’s AstraZeneca noted on Friday (December 11) that it would investigate combining its own experimental COVID-19 vaccine injected with Russia’s Sputnik V, a move that Russian scientists have suggested could dramatically increase efficacy.
Sputnik V developers took to Twitter last month to suggest that AstraZeneca test the combination.
They said it was worth experimenting with the Russian model and using two different shots instead of the same.
“Sputnik V is pleased to share one of its two human adenoviral vectors with AstraZeneca to increase the efficacy of the AstraZeneca vaccine.
“Using two different vectors for two vaccine injections will result in greater efficacy than using the same vector for two injections,” they said Nov. 23.
In its statement on Friday, AstraZeneca said it was considering how it can test combinations of different vaccines, and would soon begin to explore with Russia’s Gamaleya Institute, which developed Sputnik V, whether two adenovirus-based vaccines can be successfully combined.
Kirill Dmitriev, director of Russia’s RDIF sovereign wealth fund, which has financed Sputnik, said:
“This shows the strength of Sputnik V technology and our willingness and desire to partner with other vaccines to fight COVID together.”
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