New Delhi: Zydus Cadila has started supply of it's three-dose Covid vaccine ZyCoV-D to the Central government, a release by company said on Wednesday. The company is planning to make the needle-free vaccine available in the private market soon.
It is the world’s first and India’s indigenously developed DNA-based vaccine for COVID-19 to be administered for all above 12 years of age, said the Ministry of Science an Technology.
The Ahmedabad-based pharma major had on July 1 applied for Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA) with the DCGI for the vaccine.
The company said it has conducted the largest clinical trial for the vaccine in India in over 50 centres so far.
Plasmid DNA-based ZyCoV-D is to be administered intradermally using a needle-free injector.
For administering to adults, frontline workers and vaccinators will be provided a brief training for using the needle-free pharma jet application in actual field settings.
The three doses of ZyCoV-D are to be administered 28 days apart, with each dose comprising a shot in both arms.
ZyCoV-D received emergency use authorisation from the drug regulator on August 20.
It is an intradermal vaccine, which is applied using The PharmaJet needle free system. Needle-free injectors deliver the vaccine using a narrow stream of fluid to penetrate the skin, and deliver vaccine to the proper tissue depth. The company says this methodology can eliminate chances of needlestick injury and will also lead to a significant reduction in any kind of side effects. It will also help people suffering from trypanophobia, a common condition marked by irrational fear of blood or needles. It's estimated that fear of needles affects up to 25 percent of adults
