New Delhi: The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) on Monday gave emergency use approval to Biological E's Covid-19 vaccine 'Corbevax' for inoculating children aged 12-18 years.
Corbevax, India's third indigenous Covid-19 vaccine after Covaxin and Zydus Cadila's ZyCoV-D, will be administered in two doses scheduled 28 days apart and is stored at 2 to 8 degrees Celsius.
The DGCI had already approved Corbevax for emergency use in adults on December 28 last year. However, the vaccine is yet to be included in the country's vaccination drive.
"Corbevax vaccine, India's first indigenously developed Receptor Binding Domain (RBD) Protein sub-unit vaccine against COVID-19, has received emergency use authorisation (EUA) from India's drug regulator for the 12 to 18-year age group," Biological E Limited said in a statement.
Biological E Managing Director Mahima Datla said that the development would help extend the reach of the vaccine to the age group of 12 to 18 years.
"We truly believe that with this approval, we are even more closer to finishing our global fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. Once fully vaccinated, children can resume their activities and educational pursuits in schools and colleges without any apprehension," IANS quoted her as saying.
The vaccine was developed by the Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development at Baylor College of Medicine. A large clinical trial found the vaccine to be safe, well tolerated and over 90 per cent effective at preventing symptomatic infections.
From January 3, India has been administering Bharat Biotech's Covaxin to teens between 15 and 18 years old. Corbevax will add more teeth to India's vaccination drive.
How Does Corbevax Vaccine Work?
Corbevax is India's first indigenously made RBD protein sub-unit vaccine against Covid-19. It has been developed from a component of the spike protein found on the surface of the coronavirus.
When injected, it stimulates and prepares the immune system of the body to produce antibodies to protect against Covid-19.
Thus, when the real coronavirus attempts to enter the body, it will already have an immune response ready and the person will have lesser chances of falling severely ill.