Zydus Cadila may soonseek EUA for its first DNA-Plasmid technology based Covid-19 vaccine in the world

Zydus Cadila may soon seek emergency use authorization (EUA) for its DNA-plasmid technology-based Covid-19 vaccine from India's drug regulator. If approved, this would be the first DNA-plasmid vaccine in the world.

This could also be India's first vaccine for children aged 12 years and above as the company has conducted trials on the age group. The decision, however, lies with the regulator.

India has three Covid vaccines already — Covaxin (Bharat Biotech), Covishield (Serum Institute), and SputnikV (DRL). Sources in the government and the company confirmed that the Ahmedabad-based firm may seek an emergency use authorization from the Drug Controller General of India in around a week. "The data analysis from the phase 3 trials is almost ready. The company may soon seek EUA for its vaccine," a government official said.

ZyCoV-D, the second indigenous vaccine after Bharat Biotech's Covaxin, is a three-dose vaccine — to be administered at day 0, day 28, and day 56. The firm has said it is also working on a two-dose regimen of this vaccine.

The company is setting up a 120 million dose per year manufacturing plant for this vaccine, which requires a Biosafety level-1 (BSL-1) facility. It is also tying up with partners to have a total production capacity of 200 million doses.

The government has estimated that there would be an availability of 50 million doses of ZyCoV-D between August and December.