iNCOVACC
• Context: Intranasal vaccine by Bharat Biotech called iNCOVACC has been approved for booster dose.
Key Highlights
• iNCOVACC is the world's first intranasal vaccine for COVID to receive approval for the primary two-dose schedule, and as a heterologous booster dose.
• Bharat Biotech received approval from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) for the use of heterologous booster doses of iNCOVACC.
• Phase-III trials of iNCOVACC (as a two-dose regimen) were conducted for safety, immunogenicity in approximately 3100 subjects, in 14 trial sites across India while Heterologous booster dose studies were conducted for safety and immunogenicity in 875 subjects.
• iNCOVACC was developed in partnership with Washington University, St Louis, which had designed and developed the recombinant adenoviral vectored construct and evaluated in pre-clinical studies for efficacy
Key attributes of intranasal vaccine •
The nasal route has excellent potential for vaccination due to the organized immune systems of the nasal mucosa.
• Non-invasive, Needle-free.
• Ease of administration – does not require trained health care workers.
• Elimination of needle-associated risks (injuries and infections).
• High compliance. • Scalable manufacturing – able to meet global demand.