Intranasal Covid vax gets DCGI nod

New Delhi: India's first intranasal Covid vaccine by Bharat Biotech received DCGI approval on Tuesday for primary immunisation against the infection for people above the age of 18.

The Hyderabad-based firm completed clinical trials of the nasal vaccine with about 4,000 volunteers and there are no side effects or adverse reactions reported so far, according to company sources.

After the vaccine got the nod 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 18+ age group for restricted use in emergency situation." The minister further stated that this step will strengthen "our collective fight" against the pandemic.

Pointing out that India has harnessed its science, research and development (R&D), and human resources in the fight against coronavirus under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, Mandaviya said: "With the science-driven approach and Sabka Prayas, we will defeat Covid-19."

Bharat Biotech earlier said that it had conducted two separate trials for its intranasal Covid vaccine, one as a primary dose schedule and another as a booster dose, for subjects who have been double vaccinated with the two commonly administered Covid vaccines in India.

It has proven to be safe, well-tolerated and immunogenic in subjects in controlled trials, Bharat Biotech said. "This intranasal vaccine will make it easier to deploy in mass immunisation campaigns with an easy to administer formulation and delivery device. Vectored vaccines also enable faster development of targeted vaccines in response to emerging variants of concern," Bharat Biotech joint managing director Suchhitra K Ella said.