MOSCOW, Oct. 28 (Xinhua) -- Russia has made applications to the World Health Organization (WHO) for an Emergency Use Listing (EUL) and prequalification of its COVID-19 vaccine "Sputnik V," a Russian sovereign wealth fund said on Tuesday.

According to a statement of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), accelerated vaccine registration under the EUL procedure would make the Russian vaccine available to the globe faster than usual, and WHO prequalification and assessment of the quality, safety and efficacy of medicines would include the vaccine in the list that guides bulk purchasing of medicines by international procurement agencies and countries.

The vaccine, based on a platform of human adenoviral vectors, was developed by Moscow's Gamaleya Research Institute and marketed by the RDIF.

Russia was the first country to grant regulatory approval for a COVID-19 vaccine before large-scale trials were complete.