Govt Panel Recommends Market Authorisation Of SII's Covovax As Booster Dose For Adults: Report

Covovax, developed by the SII in partnership with the US-based Novavax, is a recombinant spike protein nanoparticle vaccine.

A healthcare worker administers a dose of the Covid-19 preventive vaccine to a beneficiary in Gurugram ( Image Source :PTI )

Amid concerns over rise in Covid cases in parts of the world, a government expert panel has recommended market authorisation for Serum Institute of India's coronavirus vaccine Covovax as a booster dose for adults, PTI reported. The subject expert committee (SEC) of the CDSCO has recommended Covovax as booster to those who have been administered two doses of Covishield or Covaxin.

Covovax, developed by the SII in partnership with the US-based Novavax, is a recombinant spike protein nanoparticle vaccine.

"The subject expert committee (SEC) of the CDSCO on Wednesday deliberated on the issue and recommended for market authorisation of Covid jab Covovax as a heterologous booster dose for adults who have been administered two doses of Covishield or Covaxin," an official told PTI.

The development comes days after Prakash Kumar Singh, director (government and regulatory affairs) at Serum Institute of India, wrote a letter to Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) for approval of Covovax as booster dose for those aged 18 years and above in view of "escalating Covid-19 pandemic situation in some countries".

Last week, SII CEO Adar Poonawalla told reporters that the recombinant spike protein nanoparticle vaccine "works very well against the Omicron variant of coronavirus".

Presently, the XBB.1.5 and Omicron's BF.7 variants are behind the surge in cases in some parts of the world. While the latter has triggered a massive infection spike in China, the XBB.1.5 has contributed to over 40 per cent new cases in the US.

Covovax Covid Vaccine: All You Need To Know

India's apex drugs regulator, the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), had approved Covovax for emergency use in adults on December 28, 2021, and in the 12 to 17 years age group on March 9, 2022. On June 28, 2022, Covovax was approved for children aged 7 to 11 years.

The vaccine, developed by the SII in partnership with the US-based Novavax, is administered intramuscularly in two doses, with SII recommending a gap of three weeks between the jabs.

So, how does the vaccine work?

Covovax targets the spike protein on the surface of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus -- the protein that allows the virus to penetrate the human cell.

Results from Phase 3 clinical trials in the US and Mexico showed that the vaccine demonstrated 90.4 per cent efficacy in preventing symptomatic Covid-19 disease.