CORBEVAX and COVOVAX: Know about 2 newly-approved COVID vaccines in India

Bhubaneswar: Two more COVID-19 vaccines– CORBEVAX and COVOVAX– have been approved by the Government of India for restricted use in emergency situation.

CORBEVAX: It is India’s 1st indigenously developed RBD protein sub-unit vaccine against COVID-19. It has been made by Hyderabad-based firm Biological-E. The vaccine is made up of spike protein on the virus’s surface.

COVOVAX: The nanoparticle vaccine, COVOVAX, will be manufactured by Pune-based firm Serum Institute of India (SII). The World Health Organization (WHO) had on December 17 issued an emergency use listing (EUL) for COVOVAX, produced by the Serum Institute of India under licence from NOVAVAX.

COVOVAX is a subunit of the vaccine developed by Novavax and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI). It requires two doses and is stable at 2 to 8 °C refrigerated temperatures. The vaccine uses a novel platform and is produced by creating an engineered baculovirus containing a gene for a modified SARS-CoV-2 spike protein.

India has also approved anti-viral drug Molnupiravir. It will 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.

Earlier, three COVID-19 vaccines– COVAXIN, COVISHIELD and SPUTNIK V– were approved by the Government of India.