In news- Ahmedabad-based Zydus Cadila on Friday received emergency use authorization from the drug controller for its three-dose, intradermal, ZyCoV-D Covid-19 vaccine.
About ZyCoV-D vaccine-
- It is the world’s first plasmid DNA-based shot and India’s indigenously developed DNA-based vaccine.
- It uses a section of genetic material from the virus that gives instructions as either DNA or RNA to make the specific protein that the immune system recognises and responds to.
- It is India’s sixth approved Covid shot after Covishield, Covaxin, Sputnik V, Moderna and Johnson and Johnson.
- It has been developed in partnership with the Department of Biotechnology and is the second home-grown shot to get emergency authorisation in India after Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin.
- It has a needle-free application system manufactured by Pharma Jet in place to administer the shots.
- It will be using a specific model called the ‘Tropis’, which received regulatory approval in Europe in 2017.
- On July 1, Zydus Cadila had applied for approval for emergency use and conducted the largest clinical trial for its vaccine, including on population in the age group of 12-18.
- This was also the first time that any Covid-19 vaccine was tested in the adolescent population.
- Primary efficacy of 66.6 percent has been attained for symptomatic RT-PCR positive cases in the interim analysis.
- Both the Phase I/II and Phase III clinical trials have been monitored by an independent Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB).
What is the Tropis needle-free system?
- Tropis delivers vaccines intradermally, technology that propels liquid at high pressure to deliver vaccines through the skin without utilising needles.
- There are three components: the injector, the needle-free syringe, and a filling adapter.
- The vaccine is administered using a simple four-step process: prepare the injector; fill the syringe; load the injector, and give the injection at the Deltoid region.
- A needle-free injector is said to be more accurate and requires little training.
- It reduces the infection-associated anxiety for the beneficiary and the vaccinator.
- It also does not give rise to any needlestick injuries to the health care workers.
Each needle-free syringe is sterile, auto disabling, and cannot be reused.
Source: The Hindu
