Bharat Biotech to test and distribute a single dose intranasal Covid-19 vaccine

Vaccine maker Bharat Biotech has acquired the rights for distribution of a single dose intranasal vaccine for Covid-19, presently being put to test.

On Wednesday, the Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech International Limited announced a licensing agreement with Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis for the novel chimp-adenovirus.

As per the deal, Bharat Biotech owns the rights to distribute the vaccine in all markets except the USA, Japan, and Europe.

Read | Nasal vaccine prevents coronavirus in mice, says study

While Phase I trials would take place in Saint Louis University’s Vaccine & Treatment Evaluation Unit, Bharat Biotech, upon obtaining the required regulatory approval, would pursue further stages of clinical trials in India.

Upon the trials’ success, BBIL would undertake large scale manufacture of the vaccine at its facility in the Genome Valley, Hyderabad.

The intranasal vaccine candidate is stated as demonstrating unprecedented levels of protection in the studies on mice. This technology and data were recently published in the scientific journal Cell and in an editorial in Nature.

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Unlike other Covid-19 vaccines in development, this vaccine is adminitered via the nose, often the initial site of infection. Researchers found that the nasal route created a strong immune response throughout the body, but it was particularly effective in the nose and respiratory tract, preventing the infection from spreading to the body, Bharat Biotech said.

“We envision to scale this innovative vaccine to one billion doses, translating to one billion individuals vaccinated with a single-dose regimen. An intranasal vaccine will not only be simple to administer but also reduces the use of medical consumables like needles, syringes thus significantly impacting the overall cost of a vaccination drive,” Dr Krishna Ella, Chairman and Managing Director, Bharat Biotech, said.

Also Read | China approves first nasal spray Covid-19 vaccine for trials

Dr David T Curiel, director, Biologic Therapeutics Center and Professor of Radiation Oncology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis said, “The ability to accomplish effective immunization with a single nasal dose is a major advantage, offering broader reach and easier administration. An effective nasal dose not only protects against Covid-19, but also prevents the disease spread by offering another kind of immunity that occurs primarily in the cells that line the nose and throat. Most other vaccine candidates currently under development cannot do that.”

This vaccine expands BBIL’s portfolio of vaccines currently in various stages of clinical development including the COVAXIN undergoing Phase II human clinical trials in the country.

Read | Covid-19 vaccine: Promising results seen in monkeys given Bharat Biotech's COVAXIN

Bharat Biotech has in May announced an exclusive deal with Thomas Jefferson University of Philadelphia to develop a new vaccine candidate for COVID-19 developed using an existing deactivated rabies vaccine as a vehicle for coronavirus proteins.

In April, an international collaboration of virologists at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and vaccine companies FluGen and Bharat Biotech started the development and testing of a Covid-19 vaccine called CoroFlu.

“Our experience in viral vaccines, manufacturing capabilities, and distribution continue to be our strong suit in ensuring safe, efficacious, and affordable vaccines. It is prudent for Bharat to be involved in diverse but tenable projects to provide a much-needed vaccine against COVID-19 reaching all the world’s citizens,” Ella says.