Bharat Bio gets nasal vax nod for use as mix-match booster

iNCOVACC world's 1st intra—nasal vax for Covid to get approval for primary 2-dose schedule

- SOHINI DAS

Bharat Biotech's intranasal vaccine B Covid-19 INCOVACC has received the Indian drug regulator's nod to be used as a heterologous booster (a mix-and-match dose after the primary dose). iNCOVACC has got approval for restricted use in emergency situations on those aged 18 years and above, for heterologous booster after two doses of either Covishield or Covaxin.

This nasal vaccine becomes the second approved Covid-19 vaccine in India, after Biological E's Corbevax, which can be used as a mix-and-match booster shot.

In September, the company received the Drugs Controller General of India's (DCGI's) approval for this vaccine, making it the second intranasal Covid-19 vaccine in the world, after CanSino Biologics vaccine, whic approval from the Chinese regulator the same month. But the DCGI had approved iNCOVACC as a primary dose vaccine for Covid19.

The company was thus awaiting approval for administering the vaccine as a booster shot, after Covishield or Covaxin shots. At the moment, not many are left in the eligible population who have not taken a single shot of the Covid-19 vaccine. Therefore, the company had no potential market for INCOVACC as a primary two-dose regimen.