The World Health Organization (WHO) has expressed hope that Russia's Sputnik V vaccine against the coronavirus would be distributed through the COVAX international program after receiving the WHO authorization for emergency use, Sputnik International reports.

The WHO held a session to discuss additional data related to the Russian vaccine on Monday, February 9. The next round of negotiations is slated for 15 February.

Sputnik V, developed by the Gamaleya Epidemiology and Microbiology Center and registered by the Russian Ministry of Health on 11 August, was the world's first vaccine against the novel coronavirus. The vaccine consists of two components that are applied to a person within an interval of 21 days. The phase 3 trial included over 20,000 adult volunteers, and is still ongoing, as it aims at including 40,000 participants.

The Russian Direct Investment Fund, which promotes Sputnik V in international market, expects that the EU’s regulator may approve the vaccine in early March.

Minister of Health Anahit Avanesyan said on February 3 Armenia was negotiating the purchase of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine against the coronavirus.