Guwahati, Aug 21: In a major breakthrough, Zydus Cadila has received approval for Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) for ZyCoV-D on Friday, the world’s first and India’s indigenously developed DNA based vaccine for Covid-19 to be administered in children and adults 12 years and above. Developed in partnership with the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India under the ‘Mission COVID Suraksha’ and implemented by BIRAC, ZyCoV-D has been supported under Covid-19 Research Consortia through National Biopharma Mission for Preclinical studies, Phase I and Phase II Clinical Trials and under the Mission COVID Suraksha for Phase III Clinical Trial. "This three dose vaccine which when injected produces the spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and elicits an immune response, which plays a vital role in protection from disease as well as viral clearance. The plug-and-play technology on which the plasmid DNA platform is based can be easily adapted to deal with mutations in the virus, such as those already occurring," said the Ministry of Science & Technology in a statement. Speaking on the development, Chairman of the Zydus Group, Pankaj R. Patel said, “We are extremely happy that our efforts to put out a safe, well tolerated and efficacious vaccine to fight Covid-19 has 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.” Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that the approval for world’s first DNA based ‘ZyCov-D’ vaccine of Zydus Universe is a testimony to the innovative zeal of India’s scientists. In response to a tweet by CDSCO India Info, the Prime Minister said,"India is fighting Covid-19 with full vigour. The approval for world’s first DNA based ‘ZyCov-D’ vaccine of Zydus Universe is a testimony to the innovative zeal of India’s scientists. A momentous feat indeed.``
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