The first Made-in-India intranasal Covid vaccine, Bharat Biotech’s ‘iNCOVACC’, was launched today (26 January), by Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh.

Bharat Biotech’s intranasal vaccine, BBV154 or iNCOVACC is the world’s first intranasal vaccine to be approved as a booster dose for Covid-19.

The nasal vaccine is a recombinant replication-deficient adenovirus vectored vaccine with a pre-fusion stabilized spike protein.

With the vaccine being delivered through a nasal spray, it will do away with the need for needles and syringes, currently required for all the Covid-19 vaccines available.

Since the nasal vaccine gives local immunity (in the nose where the virus first enters), it is more likely to be effective at preventing transmission, than the current generation of vaccines we have.

Bharat Biotech had in December 2022, got the approval for the primary 2-dose schedule, and as a heterologous booster dose. Before that, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) had approved the restricted use of the intranasal vaccine in emergency situations in the age group of 18 years and above.

According to a statement issued by Bharat Biotech earlier, 'iNCOVACC' is priced at Rs 800 for private markets, and at Rs 325 for supplies to the government of India and state governments.

This vaccine candidate was evaluated in phase I, II and III clinical trials with successful results, the Hyderabad-based vaccine maker had said. Phase III trials of the vaccine were conducted on 3,100 participants at 14 trial sites, across India, to evaluate immunogenicity and safety.

iNCOVACC

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