The Russian Health Ministry approved joint trials of coronavirus vaccines AstraZeneca and Sputnik Light, according to its registry of clinical trials approvals.

"Simple, blinded, randomized, phase I/II study to determine the safety and immunogenicity of a combination of AZD1222 and rAd26-S, administered in a heterologous prime-boost scheme, to prevent the novel coronavirus infection COVID-19 in adults," the registry says.

The study will involve 150 patients and is scheduled to be completed on 2 March 2022.

Sputnik Light is a one-component version of the Russian coronavirus vaccine, Sputnik V, developed by the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) and Gamaleya Institute. According to RDIF, Sputnik Light has shown 79.4% efficacy in preventing COVID-19, higher than some other two-dose vaccines.

AstraZeneca is a UK-Swedish vaccine, developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca. According to the data published in Lancet, the vaccine is 76.0% at preventing symptomatic COVID-19 following the first dose and 81.3% after the second dose.