PM Modi hails approval of ZyCov-D vaccine as 'momentous feat' in India's COVID fight

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday hailed the Emergency Use Authorization given to Zydus Cadila vaccine by the Drugs Controller General of India (DGCI) a 'momentous feat' in the battle against COVID. Taking to his official Twitter handle, he highlighted that the ‘ZyCov-D’ vaccine was the world’s first DNA-based vaccine, and called its approval a testimony of the 'innovative zeal of India's scientists'. 

'Momentus feat'

It is pertinent to mention here that the vaccine is suitable for all humans above 12 years, which means now those between 12-18 years can also get vaccinated against COVID-19 in India. Meanwhile, Bharat Biotech's is also conducting trials of Covaxin on children. 

Zydus Cadila's vaccine gets DCGI nod for EUA

"Zydus Cadila receives approval for Emergency Use Authorization from DCGI  for ZyCoV-D today. World’s first and India’s indigenously developed DNA based vaccine for COVID-19 to be administered in humans including children and adults 12 yrs and above," the Ministry of Science & Technology announced.

Developed in partnership with the Centre's Department of Biotechnology under the ‘Mission COVID Suraksha’, ZyCoV-D has been supported under COVID-19 Research Consortia through National Biopharma Mission for Preclinical studies. This 3-dose vaccine, when injected, produces the spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and elicits an immune response, which plays a vital role in protection from disease as well as viral clearance, the Ministry said. The plug-and-play technology on which the plasmid DNA platform is based can be easily adapted to deal with mutations in the virus, such as those already occurring.

Interim results from Phase-III Clinical Trials, in over 28,000 volunteers, showed primary efficacy of 66.6% for symptomatic RT-PCR positive cases. This has been the largest vaccine trial so far for Coronavirus India. This vaccine had already exhibited robust immunogenicity and tolerability and safety profile in the adaptive Phase I/II clinical trials carried out earlier.