DCGI approves Zydus Cadila’s needle-free, plasmid DNA Covid vaccine

The DCGI approved Zydus Cadila shot for emergency approval on Friday.

The ZyCoVD Covid19 vaccine, developed by Zydus Cadila, has received emergency use authorization approval from the DCGI and will be used by people aged 12 and over.

The world’s first needleless plasmid vaccine Covid19 DNA is ready for release from Zydus Cadila, Gujarat. ZyCoVD’s three-dose vaccine received an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) approval from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) on Friday.

The long-awaited vaccine is a breakthrough of sorts, as ZyCoVD is an intradermal vaccine that will help those hesitant to get it. India’s first Covid19 vaccine for adolescents aged 12-18 and the sixth vaccine packaged for adults. This vaccine is also the second indigenous after Bharat Biotech ICMR’s Covaxin.

DCGI First Covid DNA Vaccine

MyPress.co.uk quoted Pankaj R. Patel, President of Cadila Healthcare Ltd, saying: “This is a historic milestone for ZyCoVD, a product of Indian innovation”. 

ZyCoVD demonstrated a primary efficacy of 66.6% for symptomatic RTPCR-positive cases in an interim analysis of late phase III clinical trials involving more than 28,000 volunteers, which is touted as the largest COVID-19 vaccine trial in India to date. The peak of the SARSCoV2 virus protein and induces the cellular and humoral immune response of the human immune system, which plays an important role in protecting against diseases and eliminating viruses.

It has been administered over 0-28-56 days using PharmaJet, a needleless injector for painless intradermal vaccination. The company says that the vaccine is stored at 28 degrees Celsius and shows good stability at 25 degrees Celsius for at least three months. This makes the transport and storage of supplies to remote locations. 

Calling it a matter of pride for India, Renu Swarup, Secretary, DBT and Chairperson, BIRAC said, “The Indian Vaccine Mission Covid Suraksha was launched under the Atmanirbhar Bharat package 3.0 being implemented by BIRAC, (and) is aimed at developing safe and efficacious Covid-19 vaccines for public health. This is an important milestone in our indigenous vaccine development mission and positions India on the global map for novel vaccine development.”

How is ZyCoVD different from other vaccines?

1. ZyCoVD is the first vaccine approved in India for children over 12 years of age and is a three-dose vaccine. It can be applied with a needleless injector.
2. The world’s first DNA-based coronavirus vaccine. The vaccine, when administered, produces a peak in the SARSCoV2 virus protein and induces an immune response that plays an important role in protecting against disease.
3. It is the sixth vaccine approved for emergency use after the Covishield vaccine from the Serum Institute of India. 
4. The “plug-and-play” technology, based on plasmid DNA, can be easily adapted to combat mutations in viruses, such as those already in existence.