Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine may get EUA within 1 to 2 weeks — Galvez

MANILA, Philippines — The emergency use authorization (EUA) for Russia’s Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine in the Philippines may come out in one to two weeks, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said Sunday.

According to Galvez, the EUA application of the Gamaleya Research Institute is now on its “advance stage.”

“Kami mismo ang nagfafacilitate ng dialogue between FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and ‘yung Gamaleya at tsaka ‘yung Russian Direct Investment Fund. So ang nakita naming assessment namin, within one week or two weeks siguro baka lumabas na ‘yung sa Gamaleya na Sputnik V,” Galvez said in a press conference at the sidelines of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout at the QualiMed Hospital in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.

(We are the ones facilitating the dialogue between the FDA, the Gamaleya, and the Russian Direct Investment Fund. Based on our assessment, the EUA of Gamaleya for the Sputnik V vaccine may come out in a week or two.)

The FDA announced the EUA application for the Sputnik V vaccine last January.

In November last year, Russia said its Sputnik V vaccine is 92 percent effective at protecting people from COVID-19 according to interim trial results.

Meanwhile, Galvez said the Philippine government has also advised other manufacturers of COVID-19 vaccines based in the United States such as Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, and Novavax to apply for an EUA in the Philippines.

At present, only US drugmaker Pfizer, British-Swede firm AstraZeneca, and China’s Sinovac Biotech have approved EUAs in the Philippines.

The EUA applications currently pending before the local FDA are from China’s Sinopharm, India’s Bharat Biotech, and Russia’s Gamaleya Institute.

JE