Bharat Biotech’s iNCOVACC approved: What you need to know about India’s first nasal Covid vaccine

India has approved a new Covid-19 vaccine for emergency use in adults. However, unlike the previous vaccines, this one is different. It is different in the way the vaccine is given. Instead of a regular injection, the new Covid vaccine will be delivered through the nose as a spray. 

The vaccine is Bharat Biotech's iNCOVACC, a Covid-19 recombinant nasal vaccine. Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya shared the information on Twitter. 
iNCOVACC is India's first intranasal Covid-19 vaccine. China is the only other country that has approved the use of an intranasal Covid-19 vaccine.

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 18+ age group for restricted use in emergency situation.

— Dr Mansukh Mandaviya (@mansukhmandviya) September 6, 2022 

What do we know about iNCOVACC? 

1. The vaccine was tested in three rounds of clinical trials and according to Bharat Biotech, they all yielded successful results. 
2. The vaccine was evaluated as a primary dose as well as a booster dose, which is received after two standard doses of the Covid vaccine. 
3. The vaccine was tested in 3,100 subjects as a primary dose. It was tested as a booster dose in 875 subjects. 

   Bharat Biotech completes clinical development for phase III trials and booster doses for BBV154 intranasal covid vaccine.#BharatBiotech #covid19vaccine #bbv154 #intranasalvaccine #covid19 pic.twitter.com/oh76drnezz

   — BharatBiotech (@BharatBiotech) August 15, 2022

4. iNCOVACC will be cost-effective and made for low and middle-income families. 

Why an intranasal vaccine: Intranasal vaccine is believed to be able to act against the virus the moment it tries to enter the body. The Covid-19 virus, as well as other viruses, typically enter the human body through mucosa present in the nose, mouth, lungs and the digestive tract. 

Intranasal vaccines are cost-effective because they do away with the need for needles, syringes, and trained professionals to administer the vaccine. 

However, there is still very little evidence of intranasal vaccines being effective except in the cases of some flu vaccines. 

Vaccine breakthrough infections teach us about the upper airway T-cell immune response, its durability, and hybrid immunity. Yet another indicator of what nasal vaccines could achieve instead of breakthrough infectionshttps://t.co/12cocEJ8MK @JExpMed by @bertoletti_lab pic.twitter.com/XYkPrD9KA3

— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) September 4, 2022

Other Covid vaccines in India: According to Business Insider, India has approved 13 Covid-19 vaccines so far other than iNCOVACC. Some of the vaccines approved are also made by different pharmaceutical companies and others are approved only for emergency use or for a specific population. Serum Institute's Covishield and Bharat Biotech's Covaxin continue to remain the two popular choices among people.