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Made In India! iNCOVACC: All You Need To Know About The World’s 1st Intranasal COVID Vaccine

by Mallika Khurana
Made In India! iNCOVACC: All You Need To Know About The World’s 1st Intranasal COVID Vaccine

Covid-19 was the scariest thing that befell the world and changed everything around us. Three years later, we’re still doing our best to prevent it and ultimately beat it. The newest progress in that direction has to be iNCOVACC, India’s very own nasal vaccine for COVID-19, developed by Bharat Biotech.

They have made it accessible to the government as well as private hospitals at ₹325 and ₹800 per dose, respectively.

iNCOVACC Is The First Intranasal Vaccine For COVID-19

  • On India’s 74th Republic Day, Technology Minister Jitendra Singh and Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya came together to launch the first intranasal vaccine for COVID-19 in the world. 
  • iNCOVACC has been developed by Bharat Biotech.
  • It is now available to the public via the government for ₹325 and hospitals for ₹800 per dose.
  • In December 2022, Bharat Biotech received clearance for creating a heterologous booster dose as well as a primary 2-dose schedule.
  • The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) had already approved the usage of the intranasal vaccine in emergency situations, but only for the population in the age group of 18 and above.
  • This vaccine programme will include the use of two vaccines per individual, to be given 28 days apart.
  • A week after the introduction of this vaccine on the CoWin forum, the head of the vaccine task force of India prohibited the use of the nasal vaccine for those who have already taken a booster dose or a precautionary vaccine.
  • iNCOVACC has been made accessible to all.
  • You can easily book an appointment for the intranasal vaccine on the CoWin website. 
  • In association with Washington University, St. Louis,  Bharat Biotech brought together iNCOVACC. The university is responsible for the design and development of the recombinant adenoviral vector construct.
  • Bharat Biotech was primarily responsible for the manufacturing of the vaccine, developing it with respect to the preclinical safety evaluation.
  • It is also responsible for the vaccine’s formulation and clinical trials in preparation for delivery.
  • The government of India partly funded the production of the vaccine and clinical trials under the COVID Suraksha Programme under the Department of Biotechnology.

Cover Image Courtesy: Twitter/Bharat Biotech