Bharat Biotech applies to DGCI for clinical trial of nasal vaccine for COVID-19

Besides Covaxin, BharatBiotech has been actively working on developing another vaccine, for which it tied up with Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis for the novel "chimp-adenovirus" (Chimpanzee adenovirus), a single dose intranasal vaccine for COVID-19.

"BBV154 (intranasal COVID-19 vaccine), pre-clinical testing has been completed for toxicology, immunogenicity, and challenge studies. These studies have been conducted in the USA and India. Phase I human clinical trials will commence during Feb-March 2021," an email reply from the city-based vaccine maker told PTI. Phase I human clinical trials will be conducted in India, Bharat Biotech added.

An intranasal vaccine will not only be simple to administer but reduce the use of medical consumables such as needles, syringes, etc., significantly impacting the overall cost of a vaccination drive, Krishna Ella, chairman of Bharat Biotech, had said. "One drop of vaccine in each of the nostrils is sufficient," he had said.