(Bloomberg) -- Abu Dhabi has started a volunteer program for Phase 3 clinical trials of Russia’s Covid-19 vaccine, Sputnik V.
The oil-rich capital of the United Arab Emirates is initially seeking 500 volunteers, according to the Abu Dhabi Government Media Office. Russian president President Vladimir Putin announced the registration of Sputnik V in August and a second inoculation was approved in October.
Developers of the vaccine have said that initial testing showed it was 91.4% effective in preventing infections, although final results haven’t yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal. Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE have said their shot is 95% effective in preventing illness.
Sputnik V will cost less than $20 in international markets for a two-shot course of treatment, making it cheaper than those produced by Pfizer and Moderna Inc., according to the Russian Direct Investment Fund.
The UAE has also been conducting Phase 3 trials for a vaccine developed by China’s Sinopharm Group Co Ltd., and the country granted emergency approval for its use by health workers in September.
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