Two foreign anti-coronavirus vaccines could be approved in Russia

Registration bids, filed by two foreign manufacturers of anti-coronavirus vaccines, are currently under consideration in Russia, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev said.

"As far as the presence of foreign vaccines on our market is concerned: no one is banning them. Moreover, in accordance with our regulations, a vaccine cannot emerge out of thin air, because we need to make sure that it is not harmful, at the very least," he said. "Therefore, a manufacturer needs to file a request [for reigistration]."

"And such requests were indeed filed. As far as I’m aware, AstraZeneca and a Chinese company have applied," the official continued. "Those requests are now under consideration, and those vaccines are now in Phase Three of clinical trials."

Russia currently has six registered vaccines against the coronavirus: Sputnik V, EpiVacCorona, CoviVac, Sputnik Light, Sputnik M and EpiVacCorona-N. All of them are of Russian manufacture.