Zydus Cadila vaccine gets emergency nod

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:

1. 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’.
2. It is the world’s first and India’s indigenously developed DNA based vaccine for COVID-19.
3. The vaccine is an intradermal vaccine which means it is applied using a ‘needle-free injector’.
4. The vaccine is to be administered in humans, including Children and adults 12 years and above.
5. 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.
6. 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:

1. A plasmid is a small, often circular DNA molecule found in bacteria and other cells. 
2. Plasmids are separate from the bacterial chromosome and replicate independently of it. 
3. They generally carry only a small number of genes, notably some associated with antibiotic resistance. Plasmids may be passed between different bacterial cells.