Bharat Biotech's COVID-19 nasal vaccine to be used as heterologous booster — here are the benefits

Bharat Biotech's COVID-19 intranasal vaccine iNCOVACC (BBV154) received approval from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) in November 2022, under Restricted Use in Emergency Situation for ages 18 and above in India, for heterologous booster doses. Now, government sources said the nasal vaccine will be included in COVID-19 vaccination program from December 23. It will be available first in private hospitals and will be added as an option on CoWin, sources said.

Speaking about the benefit of nasal injection, Krishna Ella, Chairman and Managing Director of the company, was quoted by news agency PTI as saying that any injectable vaccine only protects the lower level (of the body). That's why people who were vaccinated with injectable vaccines may still get RT-PCR positive, whereas the nasal jab gives protection to the whole body.

The firm completed clinical trials of the nasal vaccine with about 4,000 volunteers, Ella said. He mentioned that there is no single instance of side effect or adverse reaction reported so far. Bharat Biotech also claims that the "intranasal vaccine stimulates a broad immune response"

Other benefits: As mentioned by Bharat Biotech,  the nasal vaccine is:

Likely to block both infection and transmission of COVID-19

Non-invasive and needle-free

Easy to administer as it does not require trained healthcare workers

Eliminates needle-associated risks (injuries and infections)

High compliance — ideally suits children and adults

Scalable manufacturing — able to meet global demand

The Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) had earlier given its nod to conduct clinical trials for BBIL's (Bharat Biotech International Limited) intranasal vaccine as a booster dose. The drug regulator had also granted permission to the firm to conduct a phase-3 clinical trial to compare the immunogenicity and safety of BBV-154 (intranasal) with Covaxin.

(Credit: bharatbiotech.com)

Replying to a query, Ella predicted that the country may face higher hospitalisations with the emerging coronavirus variant BA.5 as the new form may evade the vaccine.

"It is totally different from Delta variant. It is totally different from omicron also. They call "deltaomicron", a combination of both. I think if that attacks then it is going to be an issue. But we keep watching. We are working on that also. Risk mitigation we are trying to do. We are well prepared now... I think hospitalisation will increase if there are BA.5 attacks," Ella said.'

In the wake of emerging monkeypox cases in India, Ella said the BBIL's Gujarat plant is one of the two plants in the world capable of producing a vaccine for monkeypox disease. The other one is in Bavarian Nordic, Germany.

India has so far reported at least seven confirmed cases of monkeypox -- two in Delhi and five in Kerala.