The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF, Russia’s sovereign wealth fund), AstraZeneca and R-Pharm announce preliminary results on immunogenicity of combined use of the AstraZeneca vaccine (developed jointly with the University of Oxford) and the first component of the Sputnik V vaccine (Sputnik Light vaccine based on human adenovirus serotype 26) from the clinical trial of vaccines combination in the Republic of Azerbaijan.

The heterogeneous boosting approach (“vaccine cocktail” using human adenovirus serotype 26 as the first component and human adenovirus serotype 5 as the second component) was at the core of Sputnik V, the world’s first registered vaccine against coronavirus. With this approach proving successful in creating a longer and more durable immunity against the coronavirus, RDIF took the lead in initiating partnerships with other vaccine producers to conduct joint studies of a combination of the first component of Sputnik V with foreign vaccines.

The first partnership of this kind was concluded in December 2020 in the presence of the President of Russia Vladimir Putin. RDIF, the Gamaleya Center, AstraZeneca and R-Pharm signed a Memorandum of Intent aimed at cooperation in conducting joint clinical trial of safety and immunogenicity of a combination of AstraZeneca vaccine and the first component of Sputnik V.

Clinical trials in Azerbaijan began in February 2021. To date 64 volunteers have been vaccinated, the enrollment of volunteers is ongoing. Preliminary data from the first 20 participants shows antibodies to the SARS-CoV-2 virus spike protein (S-protein) elicited in 100% of cases.

The interim analysis of data has previously demonstrated a high safety profile for the combined use of the vaccines with no serious adverse events or cases of coronavirus infection after vaccination.

Clinical trials of a combination of vaccines are being carried out in several countries as part of a global program. Volunteers are being vaccinated in UAE and Argentina while regulatory approval to conduct trials has been granted in Russia and Belarus.