Highlights:

• Fifth vaccine to be authorized in India.
• Now effective with two doses.
• Company to manufacture 120M doses a year.
• If approved, it could be World’s first plasmid DNA shot.

Zydus Cadila, a leading Indian Pharmaceutical company is seeking approval from the DCGI for the EUA of its Covid-19 vaccine candidate, ZyCoV-D. It is the world’s first plasmid DNA vaccine for Covid-19. Earlier said to be a three dose vaccine, the company has now evaluated a two dose regimen considering the strain on the healthcare system and the data for two doses is strong enough for the vaccine to be as effective with a gap of 28 days between the two.

With plummeting cases, experts have reiterated the importance of mass vaccination time and again in scaling up the fight against the virus and the only possible solution to prevent a possible third wave. Another vaccine would only help India come out of the crisis sooner.

Trials were being conducted with more than 28,000 volunteers across the country, including individuals from the age group of 12 to 18 years and the results show the vaccine to be safe for children as well.

“The study was carried out during the peak of second wave of COVID-19, reaffirming the vaccine’s efficacy against the new mutant strains especially the Delta variant,” Zydus said.

The “needle-free” vaccine is easier to transport and can be stored at 2 to 8 degrees Celsius. It has also shown good stability at temperatures of 25 degrees for at least three months.