Another corona vaccine approved: Zydus Cadila’s vaccine is approved for emergency use, children older than 12 years can be applied

Indian pharmaceutical company Zydus Cadila’s corona vaccine Zycov-D has been approved by DGCI for emergency use on Friday. This is the world’s first DNA based vaccine. It can be applied to children and adults aged 12 years and above.

According to Zydus Cadila, it has so far conducted the largest clinical trial for the vaccine in more than 50 centers in India. This is the fourth and sixth approved vaccine to be available in the country. So far, Serum Institute’s Coveshield, Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin and Russia’s Sputnik-V are being used in India. Moderna and Johnson & Johnson have been approved, but are not yet available in India.

three-dose vaccine
All the three vaccines currently being administered in India are two-dose. There are also single-dose vaccines like Johnson & Johnson and Sputnik Lite, which may come to India in the coming months, but the Zycov-D vaccine is different from all of them. Three doses of this vaccine will be applied.

During Phase-1 and Phase-2 trials, this vaccine keeps immunity strong for a long time after applying three doses. However, Cadila is also testing two doses of it. Results related to this can also come soon.

Jaykov-D will be needle free
Zycov-D is a needle free vaccine. It will be fitted with a jet injector. Jet injectors are widely used in America. This allows the vaccine to be injected into people’s skin under high pressure. At the same time, the needle injections that are usually used, fluid or medicine goes into the muscles. Compressed gas or springs are used for pressure in jet injectors.

This device was invented in 1960. WHO gave permission for its use in 2013. Jet injectors have been in widespread use in the US since 2014. Along with this, it is also used in some countries of Europe, Africa and Asia.

Reduced risk of pain and infection spreading
The first advantage of needle free vaccine is that it reduces the pain to the person getting it, because it does not go inside the muscle like a normal injection. The second advantage is that the risk of spreading the infection is much less than the needle injection. Companies like Farmjet, Spirit International, Valeritus Holdings, Injex, Enteris Pharma manufacture jet injectors.

Claims to make 24 crore doses in a year
Zydus Cadila is talking about producing 24 crore doses in a year. The preparation of the company is such that it will come in the market a few days after getting the approval. The company will produce 2 crore vaccines every month. Along with this, talks are also going on with other manufacturers to increase production. The company will make about one crore doses in the first month. After this the production will be doubled from next month.

4 weeks gap between each dose
The second dose of Zycov-D will be administered 28 days after the first dose. At the same time, the third dose will be taken 56 days after the first dose. That is, there will be a difference of 4-4 weeks in each dose. More than 28 thousand people have been enrolled for the third phase trial of Jaykov-D. This includes children between the ages of 12 and 18.

Cadila has conducted Phase III trials at 20 centers across the country. At each centre, 20-20 children in the age group of 12 to 18 years were also part of the trial. It has been said by the centers involved in the trial that no side effects have been seen on the children of the vaccine. It is expected that soon the vaccination of children will start in the country.