The substance proved safe to human health.

Sechenov University has finished a clinical study of the vaccine against COVID-19. Earlier, the University recruited 38 healthy volunteers for the trial. The first group (18 people) was vaccinated on 18 June, and the second (20 people) — on 23 June. They all received the substance developed by Gamaleya Institute, a leading epidemiology research centre in Moscow. This is the first and only Russian-made vaccine against COVID-19 shortlisted by the World Health Organisation in their report on 23 clinical trials around the world.

Yelena Smolyarchuk, Head of the Sechenov University Centre for Expert Evaluation of Medicinal Products, says the tested vaccine has been proved safe for the patients, which is the key result of this clinical study. The first group of volunteers will be discharged from hospital on 15 July, and the second group will follow on 20 July. However, participants will remain under observation for half a year, to monitor whether they should develop any health issues due to the vaccination in the long run.

After the vaccine has been proved safe, its developer, Gamaleya Institute, should make a decision on how to proceed with the next stages of clinical trial. Russia is developing 17 vaccines against COVID-19, of which 3 or 4 are expected to enter the production stage. Russia’s Minister of Health Mikhail Murashko says the vaccination should be voluntary.

Sechenov University expects to continue vaccine studies and proceed to the next stages.

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