Covid-19: Corbevax, Covovax get nod for restricted emergency use

New Delhi, December 28

Expanding India’s vaccine basket, the Central Drug Authority has approved the Serum Institute of India’s Covid-19 vaccine Covovax, Biological E’s jab Corbevax and anti-Covid pill Molnupiravir for restricted use in emergency situation.

The announcement by Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Tuesday came a day after the Subject Expert Committee (SEC) on Covid-19 of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) recommended granting emergency use authorisation (EUA) to the Covid-19 vaccines Covovax and Corbevax with certain conditions.

It also had recommended granting restricted emergency use approval to drug Molnupiravir for treatment of adult patients with Covid-19 and who have high risk of progression of the disease.

With this approval, the number of Covid vaccines which have received emergency use authorisation in the country has increased to eight.

Six Covid-19 vaccines — Serum Institute’s Covishield, Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin, Zydus Cadila’s ZyCoV-D, Russia’s Sputnik V and the US-made Moderna and Johnson and Johnson — had already received EUA from the Indian drug regulator earlier.

“Corbevax vaccine is India’s first indigenously developed RBD protein sub-unit vaccine against #Covid-19, Made by Hyderabad-based firm Biological-E. It’s a hat-trick! It’s now 3rd vaccine developed in India,” Mandaviya tweeted.

The Nanoparticle Vaccine, Covovax, will be manufactured by Pune-based firm Serum Institute of India, he said. “Molnupiravir, an antiviral drug, will now be manufactured in the country by 13 companies for restricted use under emergency situation for treatment of adult patients with Covid-19 and who have high risk of progression of the disease,” Mandaviya said. — PTI

Strengthen fight against pandemic: Mandaviya

• Corbevax vaccine is country’s first indigenously developed RBD protein sub-unit vaccine against Covid-19 made by Hyderabad-based firm Biological-E
• Nanoparticle vaccine Covovax will be manufactured by Pune-based firm Serum Institute of India
• Vaccines that have received emergency use authorisation has increased to eight