Sputnik V Covid vax effective against Omicron variant: Study

NEW DELHI: The Sputnik V vaccine and the one-shot Sputnik Light booster are effective against the vaccine-evading and super mutant Omicron variant of Covid, claimed a preliminary laboratory study conducted by Russia's Gamaleya Center on Friday.

The study shows that Sputnik V demonstrates high virus neutralising activity against the Omicron variant and is expected to provide strong defense against severe disease and hospitalisation.

The Sputnik V has also demonstrated 3-7 times less of a reduction in virus neutralising activity against Omicron. Sputnik V has shown to be 11.8 times ineffective against Omicron, while Pfizer has shown a 41-fold decline in antibodies generated and Moderna has shown 49-84 times decrease.

"The study was conducted using sera with a longer period after vaccination (more than 6 months after vaccination) as an indicator of Sputnik V's long-lasing protection, in contrast with short studied periods for other vaccines producers (12-27 days for Pfizer-BioNTech and 28 days for Moderna)," the Gamaleya Center said in a statement.

Further, Sputnik Light as a booster significantly increases virus neutralising activity against Omicron based on sera 2-3 months after revaccination, it said.

The study showed that the virus neutralising activity against Omicron 2-3 months after a Sputnik Light booster is higher than against the wild-type virus 6 months after Sputnik V vaccination.

Based on the data the expected efficacy of Sputnik V with Sputnik Light booster against Omicron infection could be more than 80 per cent, the statement said. "Sputnik Light as a booster significantly increases virus neutralising activity against Omicron based on sera 2-3 months after revaccination and is a universal booster to other vaccines inducing stronger antibody and T-cell response," the statement said.

A study published by a research group from scientific institutes including Institute for Medical Virology (Frankfurt) showed that 100 per cent of individuals revaccinated with Sputnik Light as a booster developed neutralising antibodies against Omicron.

Sputnik V and Sputnik Light have not been associated with rare serious side effects such as myocarditis or pericarditis, the Centre said. (IANS)

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