INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
NEW DELHI: The Centre on Thursday launched India's first nasal Covid-19 vaccine iNCOVACC
Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya and science and technology minister Jitendra Singh launched Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech's
iNCOVACC, on the occasion of Republic Day."Bharat Biotech International Limited (BBIL), a global leader in vaccine innovation and developer
of vaccines for infectious diseases, today dedicated iNCOVACC (BBV154) to the nation, the world's 1st Covid intranasal vaccine for Primary
series and Heterologous booster," read a release issued by the firm on Thursday.The vaccine had received government approval for use as a
booster dose in the country-wide mass inouclation program.Centre launches India's first nasal Covid vaccine iNCOVACCHow does iNCOVACC
work?iNCOVACC is a recombinant replication-deficient adenovirus vectored vaccine with a pre-fusion-stabilized SARS-CoV-2 spike protein
This vaccine candidate was evaluated in phases I, II and III clinical trials with successful results
iNCOVACC has been specifically formulated to allow intranasal delivery through nasal drops
The nasal delivery system has been designed and developed to be cost-effective in low- and middle-income countries.Where will it be
available?It can be administered to those above 18 years, and will be first made available in private hospitals
iNCOVACC has already made its debut on CoWin.Pointing out that iNCOVACC will be the first needle-less booster for Covid-19 in the country,
easy nasal delivery that enables mass immunization to protect from emerging variants of concern.What is it priced at?Bharat Biotech said
that iNCOVACC will be priced at Rs 800 per dose for the private markets and Rs 325 per dose for central and state governments
However, if one adds a GST of 5% and administration charges of Rs 150 per dose for private hospitals, the total pricing to the user could
add up to Rs 1,000 per dose in the private market.Can it be the 'game changer'? An article in science journal Nature has expressed hope that
intra-nasal vaccines might be able to prevent even mild occurrences of Covid
It says: "These mucosal vaccines target thin mucous membranes that line the nose, mouth and lungs
By prompting immune responses where SARS-CoV-2 first enters the body, mucosal vaccines could, in theory, prevent even mild cases of illness
Vaccines that produce sterilizing immunity would be game changing for the pandemic." More than 100 mucosal vaccines against the disease are
in development globally, and about 20 have reached clinical trials in humans, according to Airfinity, a health-analytics company in London,
