The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), Pure Health and Aurugulf have announced that the clinical trials of the Russian human adenovirus-based COVID-19 vaccine in the UAE have moved into the final monitoring phase, under the supervision of the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP), Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA) and Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH).
Following the successful second dose vaccination of 1,000 volunteers, the next step involves monitoring volunteers’ immune response over 180 days. UAE findings are to be released by April 2021 and amalgamated with promising research findings from other global trials. Recent interim results from Phase III of clinical trials of the Russian human adenovirus-based vaccine, as reported in leading international medical journal The Lancet, showed high efficacy of 91.6 per cent, as well as strong immunogenicity and safety results.
The UAE clinical trial is part of the Vaccine for Victory (V4V) campaign, the UAE’s chapter of the global vaccination trial of the Russian human adenovirus-based vaccine developed by Gamaleya National Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, and facilitated in partnership with the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF). Abu Dhabi-based Aurugulf Health Investment and Pure Health will be the official marketing and distribution partners.
The vaccine was registered for use in Russia in August 2020, the first registered COVID-19 vaccine out of 165 being developed across the world. Based on the results of the Russian Phase III clinical trial, which included over 33,000 volunteers, the Ministry of Health authorized the emergency use of the Russian vaccine in the UAE in January. Two earlier phases of the vaccine clinical trials, published in The Lancet, reported stable humoral and cellular immune response among volunteers.