Russia’s Sputnik-V maker contacts DRAP to seek permission for emergency use of its vaccine in Pakistan

Russia’s state-owned Sputnik-V company has filed an application seeking permission for the emergency use of its vaccine in Pakistan.

Russia has approached the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (Drap) for registration, an official of the Ministry of National Health Services (NHS) told DAWN. The Sputnik-V is a double-dose vaccine and will be administered by syringes. The vaccine’s developers have said the shot has been found to be 91.4% effective in providing protection.

Meanwhile, Chinese firm Anhui Zheifi Longcom Biopharmaceuticals Company Limited has also applied for phase-III clinical trial of its vaccine in Pakistan. The vaccine has been jointly developed by the Anhui Zheifi Longcom Biopharmaceuticals Company Limited and the Institute of Microbiology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

DRAP has already authorized the British firm Oxford-AstraZeneca and Chinese firm Sinopharm’s vaccines for use in the country. On Thursday, Shah Mahmood Qureshi announced that China has promised to provide 500,000 doses of the coronavirus vaccine to Pakistan by January 31.

According to data of the National Command and Operation Centre, 1,745 coronavirus cases were reported during the past 24 hours, with the virus claiming 47 more lives. 2,075 people have also recovered from COVID-19, taking the tally to 482,771.