Russia completes volunteer recruitment for COVID-19 vaccine trial - fund

Russia has recruited sufficient participants for its large-scale COVID-19 vaccine trial, known as a Phase III trial, the head of Russia's sovereign wealth fund, which is backing the vaccine, said on Monday.

"In just two weeks, 55,000 volunteers have already been recruited in Moscow," Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund Said.

Russia began recruiting for what was billed as a 40,000-strong Phase III trial on Aug. 26. Initial results are expected in October or November this year, officials have said.