India's first intranasal Covid vaccine by Bharat Biotech received DCGI approval on Tuesday for primary immunization against the infection for people above the age of 18. Lauding the achievement, Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya said, it is a ‘Big Boost to India's Fight Against COVID-19’.

Mandaviya tweeted, Big Boost to India's Fight Against COVID-19! Bharat Biotech's ChAd36-SARS-CoV-S COVID-19 (Chimpanzee Adenovirus Vectored) recombinant nasal vaccine approved by @CDSCO_INDIA_INF for primary immunization against COVID-19 in the 18+ age group for restricted use in an emergency situation.

Last month after completing the phase-III and booster dose trials for its intranasal Covid-19 vaccine, Bharat Biotech said it had conducted two separate trials for its intranasal Covid vaccine, one as a primary dose schedule and another as a booster dose, for subjects who have been double vaccinated with the two commonly administered Covid vaccines in India.

It has proven to be safe, well-tolerated and immunogenic in subjects in controlled trials, BBIL said in a statement.

The data from both Phase III human clinical trials have been submitted for approval to national regulatory authorities, the company said.

"If approved, this intranasal vaccine will make it easier to deploy in mass immunisation campaigns with an easy-to-administer formulation and delivery device. Vectored vaccines also enable faster development of targeted vaccines in response to emerging variants of concern," Bharat Biotech joint managing director Suchitra K Ella said.

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