Zydus: 80% of enrolment over for vaccine trial in 12-18 age group

NEW DELHI: Zydus Cadila, the first in India to be developing DNA-based Covid vaccine, has completed 80% recruitment for trials in children aged between 12-18, raising hope for youngsters as the Centre deliberates their inclusion in the Covid vaccination drive.
ZyCov-D, the Zydus vaccine, is a three-dose indigenous DNA vaccine developed with support from the Centre’s National Biopharma Mission as part of Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council, department of biotechnology.
“Internationally, regulators know about the safety of the DNA platform. We have already finished 70-80% of recruitment, which means we have covered 800-1,000 children. Potentially if there is good amount of data in terms of safety then this vaccine can be approved,” Dr Sharvil Patel, MD, Zydus Group told TOI. “The vaccine is intradermal and will not be administered with a syringe,” Patel added.
DNA vaccines can be easily updated to counter new virus variants. “The vaccine has already been updated against the UK, South Africa and Brazil variants, and in the next 7-10 days it will be updated against the B.1.617.2 variant,” said an official in the department of biotechnology. Microbiologists said a three-dose regimen can be optimum for creating sustainable immunity in children.