Study Reveals That Sputnik V Vaccine Is More Tough Against The Omicron Variant Than Pfizer And Moderna

JAKARTA - The Sputnik V vaccine from Russia is more robust in neutralizing the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus than the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines. This is based on a study conducted by The Gamaleya Center with The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF).

The results showed that Sputnik V was only reduced by three to seven times in neutralizing activity of Omicron virus compared to Pfizer-BioNTech, which was reduced by 41 times, and Moderna by 49-84 times.

"So far, Sputnik V has shown the best results in neutralizing the Omicron virus when compared to other vaccines," said RDIF President Director Kirill Dmitriev in a press conference broadcast virtually from Russia, Friday, December 17, reported by Antara.

The study used serum with a period of more than six months after vaccination as an indicator of longer Sputnik V protection compared to other shorter vaccine periods, namely Pfizer-BioNTech 12-27 days and Moderna 28 days.

In addition, Sputnik V elicited a robust and long-lasting T-cell response, and because 80 percent of the epitopes in the protein spike were unaffected by mutations in the Omicron variant.

Therefore, Sputnik V is expected to provide long-term protection against severe disease caused by Omicron.

Long-lasting T-cell immunity of Sputnik V contributed to 80 percent efficacy against Delta at 6 to 8 months compared to the specific mRNA vaccine efficacy, which was less than 29 percent after six months.

Swedish research in the journal The Lancet showed that the efficacy of Pfizer's vaccine against the Delta variant decreased by 47 percent after four months, 29 percent after six months, and 23 percent after seven months.

Meanwhile, a recent study in the United States of a population aged 65 years also showed a decrease in the effectiveness of the mRNA vaccine against the Delta variant after the 4th month and again decreased by 20 percent after the 5th and 7th months.

"This result brings good news to the world that the Sputnik V can contribute to the fight against the Omicron variant," said Dmitriev.