India Approves Covid Pill Molnupiravir, And Corbevax & Covovax Vaccines
The announcement was made via Twitter by Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya.
The Central Drug Authority has cleared use of two more vaccines as well as an antiviral drug to better fight against the novel coronavirus.
Reuters
Also Read: United States Approves Use Of World's First Pill To Treat Covid-19
The vaccines to receive recent approvals are Corbevax, Covovax and the antiviral drug Molnupiravir. The announcement was made via Twitter by Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya.
Congratulations India ??
¡ª Dr Mansukh Mandaviya (@mansukhmandviya) December 28, 2021
Further strengthening the fight against COVID-19, CDSCO, @MoHFW_INDIA has given 3 approvals in a single day for:
- CORBEVAX vaccine
- COVOVAX vaccine
- Anti-viral drug Molnupiravir
For restricted use in emergency situation. (1/5)
Corbevax Vaccine
Corbevax is India¡¯s first homegrown vaccine that works on RBD protein sub-unit, according to Mandaviya. The vaccine is developed by Hyderabad-based firm Biological-E in collaboration with the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, US and American company Dynavax Technologies.
The tech behind is similar to that of existing Hepatitis B vaccines, with the protein in the vaccine produced by the yeast Pichia pastoris. The vaccine holds a variant of the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein along with adjuvants aluminium hydroxide gel and CpG 1018.
Covovax Vaccine
Covovax is a nanoparticle vaccine being produced by the Serum Institute of India under a license issued by Novavax, and is a part of COVAX facility portfolio. The vaccine is also validated by the World Health Organisation after assessment under the WHO EUL procedure.
Also Read: Bill Gates: Omicron Spreads Faster Than Any Virus In History, Stay Home For Christmas
Reuters
Prakash Kumar Singh, director, government and regulatory affairs at SII, had sought market authorisation for Covovax for restricted use in emergency situations from DCGI. Novavax Inc had announced a licence agreement with SII for the development and commercialisation of NVX-CoV2373, its COVID-19 vaccine candidate, in low and middle-income countries and India in August 2020.
Molnupiravir
The antiviral pill was developed by US-based pharmaceutical giant Merck. It recently received emergency use authorization from the US¡¯s FDA. In India, the vaccine will be manufactured by 13 companies.
Also Read: After Pfizer, Merck¡¯s Anti-COVID-19 Pill Gets Emergency Use Approval In US
The drug underwent a trial in more than a thousand people, with mild side effects such as diarrhoea and nausea in only a small percentage of patients. However, it isn¡¯t as effective, with around 30 percent efficacy compared to around 90 percent provided by Pfizer¡¯s drug.
AP
According to Madaviya, the vaccine will only be offered to adult patients under emergency situations and those who have high risk of the progression of the novel coronavirus.
Disclaimer: While there have been several different types of treatments being given to COVID-19 patients across the world, there isn¡¯t any one drug that has worked as a sure-shot treatment yet. Don¡¯t self medicate and always consult your doctor or medical health professional for any symptoms.
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