Nasal Covid Vaccine Gets Regulatory Nod for further trials

August 14, 2021

India’s first nasal vaccine against COVID-19 has received the nod to conduct phase 2 and 3 clinical trials by the Department of Biotechnology.

Key Points

Nasal Covid Vaccine has been developed by Bharat Biotech.
Vaccine has successfully completed Phase 1 clinical trial in age groups of 18 to 60 years.
According to the officials, doses of this vaccine administered to healthy volunteers in Phase I clinical trial were well-tolerated.
It was found to be safe, immunogenic and well tolerated during the pre-clinical toxicity studies.
It was able to evoke high level of neutralizing antibodies in studies on animals.
The nasal vaccine is the first of its kind COVID-19 vaccine that is undergoing human clinical trials in India.

About the nasal vaccine

Bharat Biotech has developed the first ever nasal vaccine called BBV154. It is a novel adenovirus vectored; intranasal vaccine developed to build immunity against COVID-19. The vaccine stimulates a broad immune response which neutralizes IgG, mucosal IgA, as well as T cell responses. It has been developed with the view that, Immune responses at the site of infection (nasal mucosa) is needed to block both infection and transmission of COVID-19. Bharat Biotech has brought and in-licensed this technology from Washington University, St Louis in US.

Significance of the vaccine

This vaccine is significant because the nasal route has high potential to vaccination due to organized immune systems of nasal mucosa.
It is Non-invasive and Needle-free.
It does not require trained health care workers for its administration. Thus, it could increase the pace of vaccination.
It eliminates the needle-associated risks like injuries and infections.

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