5 facts about the Russian vaccine against coronavirus from its Creator Denis Logunov

Scientists from many countries working on a vaccine from COVID-19 that can stop the pandemic coronavirus and now it seems she's found. You can be proud of, which created the vaccine in Russia and it is entirely domestic development. Journalists the Internet-editions "Medusa" was found with its Creator — Deputy on scientific work of the Center of Gamaliel Denis by Logunov and learned some important details from the horse's mouth.

At 43, Denis Logunov, a member-correspondent of the Russian Academy of Sciences, led a group of Russian developers of the first vaccine against the coronavirus and even became the first person to have experienced it for yourself. To talk about feelings after the injection, he refused, but confirmed that the vaccine is already being tested and its got 76 volunteers. What else Denis Logunov about the life-saving development?

Involved in testing the first vaccine against a coronavirus of 76 volunteers divided into two groups. They were all carefully examined, so as to take part in the experiment can only completely healthy people. Each volunteer keeps a special diary in which he describes the symptoms associated with the introduction of the drug.

According to the developer of the vaccine, nothing worse than a slight rise in temperature and redness around the injection site was observed. Since the introduction it has been a month and everything goes as it should, the majority of participants appeared immune response. Separately Logunov added that to find participants for testing was easy — many people want to make their own contribution to the fight against dangerous disease.

According to Denis Logunov, in September, the vaccine can be released on a limited edition, but the beginning of mass production no longer depends on its creators. Now a word for the Ministry of health of the Russian Federation, which shall consider the submitted documents to register the drug and issue a permit for its use.

The first batch, released in early autumn on limited conditions, can be used immediately. But it can not be applied for vaccination of children and the elderly. Limited use of the drug will allow to conduct studies on a larger number of people. Mass production, if the health Ministry will not delay, could begin in December 2020.

Developed in Russia vaccine against coronavirus refers to a vector. This means that it causes the body's cytotoxic response of the immune system, when immune cells aiming to destroy the cells affected by virus. Thus the maximum effectiveness of the protection against infection, on the basis of cellular immunity. A vector vaccine based on the virus COVID-19, which is genetically modified and therefore not dangerous.

It is much more efficient than in the case of another type of vaccine — inactivated. They are made from killed or weakened viruses. Such vaccines are used the principle of the antibody immune response, which is not as reliable and has short action. In addition, inactivated drugs can cause dangerous complications, especially in children and older people.

Denis Logunov said that the work on a vaccine against the coronavirus began in late winter 2020 and only took 2 weeks. This efficiency stems from the fact that the development of the drug was carried out on the existing proven scheme, developed in 1990-ies. On the basis of this principle, in the Center of Gamaliel was already created a vaccine for the Ebola virus.

Simplified the task and what the team Logunova worked for three years on a vaccine against MERS virus middle East respiratory syndrome. This virus is very close to COVID-19, so the researchers used their existing practices and it worked.

The principle of the vector used in the Russian vaccine against coronavirus, implies that the modified virus in the human body begin to multiply. It may cause unpleasant side effects, so the drug is administered in a specific pattern. First, an injection with a single vector, and after a while — with the other.

This method is known worldwide and its effectiveness is confirmed by many years of experience. Quite another thing is that mass vaccination in two stages — it's very expensive, so the introduction of the vaccine vectors is not too popular. Denis Logunov sure that the introduction should be two-fold, regardless of economic and other factors — it's much safer.