Bharat Biotech’s needle-free Covid-19 vaccine approved for emergency use

Bharat Biotech's needle-free intranasal Covid-19 vaccine has been granted approval for emergency use in India, the country's health minister Mansukh Mandaviya tweeted today (September 6, 2022).

Bharat Biotech's new needle-free intranasal vaccine can be delivered through the nostrils, making it a safer and more effective option, reports our New Delhi correspondent.

"Bharat Biotech's ChAd36-SARS-CoV-S COVID-19 (Chimpanzee Adenovirus Vectored) recombinant nasal vaccine approved by @CDSCO_INDIA_INF for primary immunisation against Covid-19 in 18+ age group for restricted use in emergency situation," Mandaviya said, according to our New Delhi correspondent.

Influenza and Covid-19 follow the intranasal route of infection- nose and mouth into the lungs, which is why having mucosal immunity is important and the vaccine will also use the same nasal (drop) route.

Highlighting the benefits of the intranasal vaccine, the company, which manufactured India's first indigenous Covid vaccine Covaxin, said that by virtue of being non-invasive (needle-free), it is easy to administer and does not require trained health care workers; eliminates needle-associated risks (injuries and infections); has higher compliance (ideally suits for children's and adults); and is scalable as far as manufacturing is concerned.

In September, 2020, Bharat Biotech had inked a licensing agreement with Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis for a novel chimp- adenovirus, single dose intranasal vaccine for Covid-19.

In January last year, the company applied to the central drugs regulator to allow it to start clinical trials in humans.