In order to fight against the coronavirus effectively, Drug Controller General of India has given emergency authorization to India’s first natively developed DNA based vaccine that can be utilized by the adults as well as the children above the age of 12.
ZydusCadila, an Ahmedabad based pharma company has developed the vaccine in collaboration with the Department of Biotechnology under Government of India. By taking three dose of vaccine, spike protein of SARS CoV2 can be produced to create an immune response in the body. In this way, protection from the disease can be obtained. Viral clearance is possible as well.

Clinical trial in phase III has been done upon on 28,000 volunteers. On the occasion, primary efficacy of 66.6% can be seen with the positive cases from RT-PCR. It is certainly one of the most prominent trials for a vaccine. Robust immunogenicity can be noticed in addition to safety and tolerability in the phase I and phase II trial. Data Safety Monitoring Board is monitoring these trials independently.
The vaccine from Zydus Cadila has been named ZyCoV-D. Using a general material from the virus that create the protein and recognized by the immune system and responds, the vaccine has been developed. Here, rapid plug and play technology has been utilized to develop the drug. Due to this reason, vaccine can adapt itself easily with the virus mutation.
Being an intradermal vaccine, ZyCoV-D vaccine can be a game changer. It can be good for those that are reluctant to take the vaccine. Using a Pharmajet which is a needle free applicator, vaccine is going to be administered in the body. To store the vaccine, it must be kept in the temperature between 2°C and 8°C. However, the vaccine can also stay stable at 25°C for about three months. As a result, issues may not be seen to store and transport the vaccine to a remote location.

ZyCoV-D vaccine is expected to be a vaccine that can be administered in adolescents between the ages of 12 to 8 years also. It is second indigenous vaccine from India after Bharat Biotech ICMR’s Covaxin. Three doses of vaccine have to be administered with the interval of 28 days.
Talking about the approval from Government of India, Secretary of DBT Renu Swarup has said “It is a matter of great pride that today we have the EUA for the world’s first DNA COVID-19 vaccine ZyCoV-D by Zydus developed in partnership with the Department of Biotechnology and supported through Mission COVID Suraksha. The Indian Vaccine Mission COVID Suraksha was launched under the AtmaNirbhar Bharat package 3.0, being implemented by BIRAC, aimed at developing safe and efficacious COVID-19 vaccines for public health. We are confident that this will be an important vaccine for both India and the world. This is an important milestone in our Indigenous Vaccine Development Mission and positions India on the Global Map for Novel Vaccine Development”

On the other hand, Chairma of Zydus Group, Mr. Pankaj R Patel has said “We are extremely happy that our efforts to put out a safe, well-tolerated, and efficacious vaccine to fight COVID-19 have become a reality with ZyCoV-D. To create the world’s first DNA vaccine at such a crucial juncture and despite all the challenges, is a tribute to the Indian research scientists and their spirit of innovation. I’d like to thank the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India for their support in this mission of AtmaNirbhar Bharat and Indian Vaccine Mission COVID Suraksha.”