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Source: Livemint, The Hindu, PIB, Business Standard
What is the News?
Drugs Controller General of India’s (DCGI’s) has granted emergency approval for Zycov-D vaccine.
About Zycov-D:
- Zycov-D is a DNA plasmid-based Covid-19 vaccine developed by Zycov Cadilla Group in partnership with the Department of Biotechnology under the ‘Mission COVID Suraksha’.
- It is the world’s first and India’s indigenously developed DNA based vaccine for COVID-19.
- The vaccine is an intradermal vaccine which means it is applied using a ‘needle-free injector’.
- The vaccine is to be administered in humans, including Children and adults 12 years and above.
- Unlike other Covid-19 vaccines which are given in two doses, Zycov-D will be given in three doses with an interval of 28 days between each dose.
- The vaccine development has been supported under COVID-19 Research Consortia through National Biopharma Mission for Preclinical studies.
Click Here to read about how Zycov-D Vaccine works
About Plasmid:
- A plasmid is a small, often circular DNA molecule found in bacteria and other cells.
- Plasmids are separate from the bacterial chromosome and replicate independently of it.
- They generally carry only a small number of genes, notably some associated with antibiotic resistance. Plasmids may be passed between different bacterial cells.
