India develops 2 new Covid-19 vaccine- "Corbevax & Covovax"

Corbevax is India's first homegrown "RBD protein subunit vaccine."

New Delhi: Amid the rise in the new variant Omicron, the Central Govt. has cleared two more vaccines today and one anti-viral drug to boost combat to the COVID-19 pandemic. The two latest vaccines cleared by India are Corbevax and Covovax. The anti-viral drug Molnupiravir can be used during an emergency. It is a milestone for the country to get the third homemade vaccine.

In a tweet by Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya wrote this morning, "Corbevax is India's first homegrown "RBD protein subunit vaccine." He also added that the vaccine is made by the Hyderabad-based firm Biological-E.

"It's a hat-trick! It's now the third vaccine developed in India," Mr Mandaviya said. The other two vaccines developed in India are Bharat Biotech's Covaxin and the Serum Institute of India's (SII) Covishield.

The nanoparticle vaccine, Covovax, will be manufactured by the Pune-based SII.

Adding more specifications, the Health Minister said, "The anti-viral drug Molnupiravir will be manufactured in India by 13 companies for restricted use under the emergency situation to treat adult patients with COVID-19 and who have a high risk of progression of the disease."

With the latest approvals, a total of eight COVID-19 vaccines have got emergency use authorisation from India's drug regulator - Covishield, Covaxin, ZyCoV-D, Sputnik V, Moderna, Johnson and Johnson, Corbevax and Covovax.

Dr Reddy's Laboratories in a consortium with Cipla, Mylan, Torrent, Emcure and Sun Pharma had presented their proposal for approval of anti-viral drug Molnupiravir for emergency situations.

India will start administering COVID-19 booster shots to healthcare, frontline workers and those above 60 with comorbidities from January 10. Those aged 15-18 would start receiving their COVID-19 vaccinations from January 3.