New Delhi: Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Thursday launched India’s first nasal Covid vaccine iNCOVACC manufactured by Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech on the occasion of India’s 74th Republic Day. “The nasal vaccine has become an example of India’s strength and capability in manufacturing vaccines. Under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we have launched this nasal vaccine which has become an example of a new India,” said Mandaviya.
iNCOVACC which is also the world’s first intranasal vaccine for Covid to receive approval for the primary 2-dose schedule, and as a heterologous booster dose, administered as nasal drops.
A rollout of the vaccine is expected to begin in private hospitals that have placed advance orders. An initial manufacturing capacity of several million doses per annum has been established, this can be scaled up to a billion doses as required. iNCOVACC is now available on CoWIN, and priced at Rs 800 for private markets and Rs 325 for supplies to the Government of India and State Governments.
Bharat Biotech received approval from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) for iNCOVACC to be administered for primary series and as heterologous booster doses. Amid growing Covid-19 cases and emerging variants of the highly transmissible virus, a booster dose of the vaccine becomes imperative.
This vaccine 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. As a needleless vaccination, Bharat Biotech’s iNCOVACC will be the world's first such booster dose. Dr Jitendra Singh, Minister for Science & Technology, Dr Krishna Ella, Executive Chairman of Bharat Biotech and Managing Director Suchitra Ella and several others were present during the launching ceremony.
Dr Krishna Ella, Executive Chairman of Bharat Biotech, said, “With the rollout of iNCOVACC, today we have achieved our goal of establishing a novel vaccine delivery platform for intranasal delivery. It proves that India can innovate for itself and for the world. We and the country are well prepared for future COVID-19 variants and future infectious diseases. We reaffirm our commitment to India, to lead innovation & develop novel vaccine technologies for combating infectious diseases & public health globally.” Bharat Biotech is a leading global developer and manufacturer of vaccines with more than 7 billion doses manufactured till date, he said.
The company’s managing director Suchitra Ella said, “It’s is exemplary that India has not only served herself during the pandemic challenges, but also a strong provider to the global platform in distributing vaccines & medicines to over 150 countries. With iNCOVACC- the world’s 1st intranasal COVID vaccine, we are privileged to defend the nation’s health with global quality and scale.”
The leading vaccine manufacturer, Bharat Biotech International Limited has established an excellent track record of innovation with more than 145 global patents, a wide product portfolio of more than 19 vaccines, four bio-therapeutics, registrations in more than 125 countries, and the World Health Organization (WHO) prequalification.
