ZyCoV-D vaccine | Business Upturn

Zydus Cadila to apply for COVID-19 vaccine trial on kids below 12 years of age

Vandana Nampoothiri — Mon, 23 Aug 2021 07:57:05 +0000

Zydus Cadila is planning to apply for the COVID-19 vaccine trial for children of age group 3-12, the company’s MD Dr Sharvil Patel said on Saturday.

“The vaccine development journey starts by first trying it in adults, then adolescents, and then children. We will now file for a trial in children of the age group of 3-12 in the next 7-10 days.” Patel told India Today.

Speaking about the side effects of the ZyCoV-D vaccine, Patel said, “We have done the trials on 1,400 adolescents of 12-18 years. In all the trials, we have not seen any severe side effects related to the vaccine.” The trials were conducted in 2,800 adults and 1400 adolescents across 50 centres.

Labelled as one of the largest vaccine trials in the country, ZyCoV-D vaccine trials were conducted on 28,000 volunteers. Interim results from Phase-III Clinical Trials showed primary efficacy of 66.6 per cent for symptomatic RT-PCR positive cases.

Patel in a press conference said that the pharma company is looking to supply the vaccine from September. “In the next one or two weeks we will have better clarity on the pricing,” he further added.

Zydus Cadila’s ZyCoV-D vaccine received approval for Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) on August 20. The vaccine is said to be the world’s first indigenously developed DNA-based vaccine for COVID-19. ZyCoV-D will be administered to adolescents of the age group 12-18 along with adults.

Cadila Healthcare share price surges 7% as DCGI approves ZyCoV-D vaccine

Vandana Nampoothiri — Mon, 23 Aug 2021 05:12:36 +0000

Pharma company Cadila healthcare’s share price surged by 7 per cent on Monday after the firm received Emergency Use Authorization(EUA) approval from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) for its vaccine ZyCoV-D. The company is currently trading at Rs. 551.35.

ZyCoV-D is the world’s first Plasmid DNA Vaccine for COVID-19 and the sixth vaccine to get approval from India. The three-dose vaccine can also be administered to adolescents of the 12-18 age group. It will be administered on day zero, day 28th, and then on the 56th day.

Speaking on this development, Mr Pankaj R. Patel, Chairman, Cadila Healthcare Ltd., said “This is a historic milestone with ZyCoV-D, a product of Indian innovation becoming the world’s first DNA vaccine being offered for human use and supporting the world’s largest immunization drive. We are particularly happy that our vaccine will contribute to this fight against COVID-19 and enable the country to vaccinate a larger population especially in the age group of 12-18 years.”

On August 20, the company announced that it has signed a license and supply agreement with CHEMI SpA (“CHEMI”) of Italy, a subsidiary of Italfarmaco Group. Under the agreement, CHEMI will manufacture and supply the Enoxaparin Sodium Injection, the generic equivalent of Sanofi Aventis’s Lovenox which Zydus will commercialize in the US.

Zydus Cadila’s ZyCoV-D vaccine gets emergency use approval in India

Vandana Nampoothiri — Fri, 20 Aug 2021 14:45:52 +0000

Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) approved the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) of Zydus Cadila’s ZyCoV-D vaccine, the Ministry of Science and Technology announced on August 20.

ZyCoV-D will be administered to children above 12 years and adults. The vaccine was developed in partnership with the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India under the ‘Mission COVID Suraksha’.

The new vaccine is a one-of-a-kind DNA vaccine which 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.

According to the manufacturer, the phase 3 trials of the vaccine showed an efficacy rate of 66.6 per cent for symptomatic RT-PCR positive cases.

Speaking on the development, Chairman of the Zydus Group, Mr Pankaj R. Patel said, “We are extremely happy that our efforts to put out a safe, well-tolerated, and efficacious vaccine to fight COVID-19 has become a reality with ZyCoV-D. To create the world’s first DNA vaccine at such a crucial juncture and despite all the challenges, is a tribute to the Indian research scientists and their spirit of innovation.”

According to Hindustan Times, ZyCoV-D will be India’s second indigenous coronavirus vaccine after Covaxin, and the sixth vaccine to be approved in the country so far, joining the leagues of Serum Institute’s Covishield, Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin, Russia’s Sputnik V, and the US-made Moderna and Johnson & Johnson.