The Russian vaccine "Sputnik V" has shown high efficiency, but all currently existing drugs have a number of disadvantages that prevent them from entering the international market. This opinion was expressed in a conversation with Vechernyaya Moskva by the immunologist, general director of the contract research company Nikolai Kryuchkov.
Earlier on the website of the Russian vaccine "Sputnik V" data appeared that on the 42nd day after the injection, its effectiveness exceeded 95 percent against 70 percent of the British AstraZeneca. At the same time, the report noted that on the 28th day after the administration of the drug, the effectiveness was 91.4 percent.
- Effectiveness - what percentage of infections the drug can prevent. Ideally, of course, when it is 100 percent, but, alas, in this case, this does not happen. Vaccines can prevent infection in 60, 70, even 55 percent of cases, and this is still a good result. How is efficiency generally determined? They take two groups, one is given a placebo, the other is given the drug itself, and they look at the percentage of cases that have happened in different people, and then they compare these data, '' the doctor explained.
Kryuchkov also noted that in fact both 70 and 95 percent of the effectiveness is only a preliminary result, since it will be possible to judge the quality of the drug only in the long term, observing how often people who receive the drug get sick. According to him, the already published values will gradually decrease, it turns out that vaccines are effective, for example, by 60 percent. But this, according to the immunologist, is still a sufficient value in order to use the drug.
- There is no final report yet, so we can only rely on preliminary values, but there is nothing wrong with that. Even a 50% vaccine can still be used successfully. The point now is to complete the research and establish logistics, - summed up Kryuchkov.
"Sputnik V", as noted by the immunologist, is today in the world's top vaccines, but there are other drugs, the research data of which has not yet been published:
- The task of scientists now is not to make the drug as quickly as possible, but to create a substance that would be as simple to manufacture as possible and cheaper than competitors. For example, those vaccines that are already available today have serious problems with transportation - the cold chain there should be no higher than -70 degrees, or -20, but then the shelf life will be significantly reduced. Sputnik V and AstraZene are easier to transport, but it is more difficult to produce a large number of doses, Kryuchkov said.
Another important factor, according to the immunologist, is the cost of the finished drug. Modern will cost a lot of money, AstraZenec and Pfizer are cheaper.
- AstraZeneca, by the way, are generally going to supply poor countries at three dollars per dose. The cost of our "Sputnik V" is 13-14 dollars. In principle, we can try to follow the example of AstraZenec - to lower the price for poor countries, so that if you do not get a significant profit, then at least cover a larger market, - said the doctor.
Kryuchkov is confident that changes will still take place in the international top of vaccines when drugs appear that are ahead of the current leaders in properties. For example, they can be easier to manufacture and logistically. Domestic drugs, which are currently being researched, also have a chance to break into the top 7:
- Today's leaders, as we have already understood, are not ideal: somewhere there is a problem with transportation, somewhere with cost, production. Yes, they have shown high efficiency, but the same can be done by drugs, the results of studies of which we have simply not seen. The main problem now is, of course, the volumes of production, because based on today's data, we cannot yet cover even half of the globe, although we are able to completely implant individual countries.
Skeptics note that the Russian vaccine is not particularly popular on the international market; only a few, not the richest states have expressed interest. The reason here, according to the doctor, is not in the quality of a domestic drug, but, as is usually the case, in politics:
- Regions such as Southeast Asia, Latin America, the European Union, the USA, Canada, Mexico are already divided between political alliances. But this does not mean that Russia cannot go anywhere. Brazil and India, where there is a huge population, are very interested in our vaccine. You can cooperate with other advanced countries, with Israel for example. It is more difficult with China - they have their own strong capabilities, I believe that small volumes of their vaccine will be sold from us, small volumes of ours - from them. Of course, we shouldn't count on the West, but we may well cover part of Eastern Europe, we will need to act there through the European Medical Agency - this is not an easy process, but it can be done. It is clear that we will not get to Germany, but the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania will gladly buy our drug, - says Kryuchkov.
"Sputnik V" can be officially registered in the United States, however, not with the aim of making money on sales - this idea, according to Kryuchkov, is doomed to failure due to too high competition. It makes sense to do this solely for political purposes - if you submit an application with good documents, the departments will be forced to conduct a high-quality examination, according to the results of which no one will be able to say that the Russian vaccine was produced on the knee, the doctor said.
- So, in principle, the market is open for us. Sputnik V will also be bought by some European countries, Asia, the Philippines, part of Latin America, Brazil and India. We have enough friendly states or those with which we can come to an agreement. Do not take the situation as if we are cut off from the world. The only question now is how soon it will be possible to produce the required number of doses, - the expert noted.
Kryuchkov concluded that in order to increase the demand for Sputnik V on the international market, not only competent work of scientists, high efficiency of the drug, but also high-quality PR work, publications in foreign languages in foreign journals are necessary.
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