By Our Special Correspondent
India's first intranasal Covid vaccine by Bharat Biotech received DCGI approval on Tuesday for primary immunization against the infection in people above 18 years of age.
The Hyderabad-based firm has completed clinical trials of the nasal vaccine with around 4,000 volunteers and no side effects or adverse reactions have been reported so far, company sources said.
After the vaccine was approved on Tuesday, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya tweeted: "Big boost to India's fight against Covid-19! Bharat Biotech's ChAd36-SARS-CoV-S COVID-19 (chimpanzee adenovirus vectored) recombinant nasal vaccine approved by @ CDSCO_INDIA_INF For primary immunization against Covid-19 in eighteen age group for restricted use in emergencies." The minister said the move would strengthen "our collective fight" against the pandemic.
Mandavya said India has harnessed its science, research and development (R&D) and human resources in the fight against the corona virus under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi: “With a science-based approach and Sabka Prayas, we will defeat Covid -19."
Bharat Biotech had earlier said it conducted two separate trials for its intranasal Covid vaccine in subjects who had been vaccinated twice with two commonly administered Covid vaccines in India.
Bharat Biotech said it has been shown to be safe, well-tolerated and immunogenic in subjects in controlled trials. "The easy handling of this intranasal vaccine formulation and delivery device makes it easy to deploy in mass immunization campaigns.
Vector vaccines also enable rapid development of targeted vaccines in response to variations of emerging concerns," said Suchitra K Ella, Joint Managing Director, and Bharat Biotech.
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