India has recently initiated phase I/II of clinical trials for a Covid-19 vaccine called ZyCoV-D. This vaccine is designed and developed by the pharmaceutical company, Zydus, and is supported by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT). Alongside ZyCoV-D, another indigenous vaccine – Covaxin – produced by Bharat Biotech is also starting clinical trials.
ZyCoV-D: A Brief Overview
ZyCoV-D is a plasmid DNA vaccine that falls under the Vaccine Discovery Programme, a project supported by the Department of Biotechnology under the National Biopharma Mission. Plasmids are circular deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) vectors used in vaccines to prevent various types of diseases.
Pre-Clinical Phase Findings
During the pre-clinical phase, ZyCoV-D demonstrated promising results. The vaccine initiated a strong immune response in multiple animal species such as mice, rats, guinea pigs, and rabbits. The antibodies created by the vaccine were effective in neutralizing the wild type virus, showing the vaccine’s potential protective properties. Importantly, during this phase, no safety concerns arose from repeat doses administered both intramuscularly (directly into muscles) and intradermally (an injection into the skin).
DNA Vaccine Platform Development
The creation of ZyCoV-D has solidified the DNA vaccine platform in the country. This platform is simple to deploy, temperature-stable, consistently manufacturable, and lowers the overall costs while enhancing a vaccine’s effectiveness. Furthermore, it requires minimal biosafety measures, thus simplifying the manufacturing process. Due to the increased vaccine stability and reduced cold chain requirements, the vaccine can be easily transported even to remote parts of the country. If the virus mutates, the platform can quickly modify the vaccine within a few weeks.
National Biopharma Mission: A Collaborative Project
The National Biopharma Mission is an industry-academia initiative aimed at accelerating biopharmaceutical development in India. Launched in 2017, this project, co-funded by a World Bank loan, has a total cost of Rs. 1500 crore. The Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), a Public Sector Enterprise established by the DBT, Ministry of Science & Technology, implements it.
Under this mission, the Government introduced the Innovate in India (i3) programme, which aims to create an enabling ecosystem that promotes entrepreneurship and indigenous manufacturing in the biopharma sector. The objectives of the i3 programme include the development of vaccines, medical devices, diagnostics, biotherapeutics, strengthening the clinical trial capacity, and enhancing technology transfer capabilities in the country.
