The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) on Monday gave an emergency use nod to Hyderabad-based pharmaceutical company Biological E's Coronavirus vaccine ‘Corbevax’ for children aged 12-18 years.
India's third homegrown Covid-19 vaccine, Corbevax will be administered in two doses, according to reports. This is the third vaccine approved for use in children aged 12 and above in India, joining Zydus Cadila's DNA shot ZyCoV-D and Bharat Biotech's Covaxin.
Also read | Biological E gets nod to conduct trials of its Corbevax as booster dose
Prior to this, the Corbevax vaccine had received an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the DCGI's Subject Expert Committee (SEC) for the 12 to 18 age group, subject to certain conditions, according to news agency ANI.
The EUA was recommended after reviewing the safety and immunogenicity data of the clinical study of Corbevax in children and adolescents.
The expected cost of the vaccine is ₹145 excluding taxes, ANI had quoted official sources as saying.
{{/usCountry}}The expected cost of the vaccine is ₹145 excluding taxes, ANI had quoted official sources as saying.
{{/usCountry}}Speaking on the Corbevax shots, National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) chief Dr N K Arora had said that the vaccine was safe and offered good immunogenicity and higher antibody levels as compared to some other vector vaccines.
India has, so far, vaccinated more than 76 million children aged 15-17 against the Coronavirus disease, mainly using Covaxin.