Advertisement

Updated August 10th, 2022 at 12:09 IST

COVID-19: Centre approves Biological E's Corbevax booster shot for adults above 18 years

The Union Health Ministry has approved Biological E's Corbevax as a precautionary dose for adults over 18 years of age who have received two doses of vaccine.

Reported by: Anurag Roushan
COVD-19
Image: PTI/PIB | Image:self
Advertisement

The Union Health Ministry has approved Biological E's Corbevax as a precautionary dose for adults over 18 years of age who have received two doses of either Covishield or Covaxin. According to official sources, the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation's (NTAGI) recommendations served as the foundation for the approval. It would be the first time a COVID vaccine different from the one used for initial vaccination could be administered as a booster dose in the nation.

"Corbevax will be considered as a precaution dose after completion of 6 months or 26 weeks from the date of administration of the second dose of either Covaxin or Covishield vaccines for those aged above 18 years enabling use of Corbevax as a heterologous COVID-19 vaccine for precaution dose administration in this age group," PTI reported citing an official source. This will be in addition to the current recommendations for administering the Covaxin and Covishield vaccinations in homologous prophylactic doses.

The double-blind randomised phase-3 clinical study's data were examined by the COVID-19 Working Group (CWG) during its meeting on July 20. It assessed the immunogenicity and safety of the Corbevax booster dose when administered to COVID-19-negative adult participants of age 18-80 years. "Following the examination of the data, the CWG observed that Corbevax vaccine can induce significant increase in antibody titers when given to those who have received either Covaxin or Covishield, which is likely to be protective as per the neutralization data also," as per the official sources. 

DCGI approved Corbevax as precautionary dose in June

Earlier on June 4, Corbevax got the Drugs Controller General of India's (DCGI's) nod to be used as a precautionary dose for individuals 18 years of age and above. Notably, India statered inoculating precaution doses to fronline workers, as well as people 60 years of age and above with comorbidities, from January 10, 2022. The nation also started administrating precaution doses doses to all adults over the age of 18 years from April 10. 

About Corbevax

Corbevax is basically a protein sub-unit COVID-19 vaccine, which has been created from a fragment of the spike protein on the surface of the virus that aids in the development of an immune response against the virus. The antigen is the Receptor Binding Domain (RBD) protein, and the adjuvants are aluminium hydroxide and CpG 1018 prepared in Tris buffer. The vaccine was previously authorised for limited emergency use and will be administered six months after the completion of the first two doses of either the Covaxin or Covishield vaccines.

Image: PTI/PIB

Advertisement

Published August 10th, 2022 at 11:27 IST

Your Voice. Now Direct.

Send us your views, we’ll publish them. This section is moderated.

Advertisement
Advertisement

Trending Quicks

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Whatsapp logo