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Sputnik V today said its Covid-19 vaccine has demonstrated strong protection against Omicron variant, with over two times higher virus neutralising activity compared to the Pfizer Vaccine, according to a independent comparative study conducted by Spallanzani institute in Italy.
"A unique comparative study conducted at the Italian Spallanzani Institute, the leading Italian research institute for infectious diseases, by a joint Italian-Russian team of researchers representing the Institute and the Gamaleya Center shows that the Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine demonstrates more than 2 times higher titers of virus neutralizing antibodies to Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant than 2 doses of Pfizer vaccine (2.1 times higher in total and 2.6 times higher 3 months after vaccination)," Sputnik V said in a statament
"Previous studies also demonstrated additional significant strengthening of protection against Omicron by Sputnik Light booster, which can also be a universal booster to other vaccines to strengthen and lengthen their protection against Omicron," it added.
The study was conducted in the equal laboratory conditions in the Spallanzani Institute in Italy on comparable sera samples from individuals vaccinated with Sputnik V and Pfizer with a similar level of IgG antibodies and virus neutralizing activity (VNA) against Wuhan variant.
Sputnik V said the reasons for higher vaccine performance include a wide pool of antibodies vs Pfizer’s less flexible proline-stabilized structure producing antibodies to most mutated virus part, Mix and match scheme with 2 different shots and adenoviral vectors better mimicking natural infection.
The data supports the results of the recent laboratory study by the Gamaleya Center published in MedRxiv demonstrating that Sputnik V induces robust neutralizing antibody response to Omicron variant, which is further strengthened by Sputnik Light booster, it added.
