Zydus Cadila, the “world’s first Plasmid DNA vaccine,” has filed emergency use approval for its ZyCoV-D three-dose Covid injection. According to the business, the shot is “needle-free” and “child-safe.” The company intends to produce up to 120 million doses of the vaccine per year.After Serum Institute of India’s Covishield, Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin, Russia’s Sputnik V, and the US-made Moderna, ZyCoV-D would be the fifth vaccine approved for use in India.
The vaccine, according to Zydus, is 66.6 percent effective against symptomatic Covid cases and 100 percent effective against moderate disease. It also claims that the vaccination is safe for youngsters aged 12 to 18. However, the trial data has not yet been peer-reviewed. In a late-stage experiment involving more than 28,000 volunteers from around the country, including about 1,000 participants aged 12 to 18, ZyCoV-D was found to be safe and effective.
According to the business, its Phase 3 studies took place during the Delta epidemic, a fast-spreading Covid variation that was first discovered in India and is believed to be driving new cases around the world.According to Reuters, the trial was conducted “at the peak of the second wave of COVID-19 (in India), reaffirming the vaccine’s efficacy against the new mutant strains, especially the Delta form.” Unlike the shots used in India thus far, the ZyCoV-D vaccination includes a three-dose regimen. It is applied without the need of needles.The vaccine is stored between 2 to 8 degrees Celsius, but the company claims that it has shown good stability at 25 degrees for at least three months, making it easier to transport and store the injection and reducing the risk of cold chain collapse.
When a plasmid DNA vaccine is delivered, it creates the coronavirus’s spike protein and triggers an immune response. According to Zydus, plasmid DNA platforms can be readily updated to deal with new mutations.
