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Context:

• India’s first indigenously developed Receptor Binding Domain (RBD) protein sub-unit vaccine for COVID-19, CORBEVAXTM, has received approval for Emergency Use Authorization from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI)for 12-18 years age group.
• It is approved to be administered in humans including Children and adults 12 years and above.

 

About Corbevax:

• Corbevax has the distinction of being the first indigenously developed RBD protein sub-unit vaccine in India.
• Corbevax, as mentioned earlier is a protein subunit vaccine.
• The recombinant protein sub-unit vaccine developed from the Receptor Biding Domain (RBD) of the spike protein on the viral surface is adjuvanted with CpG 1018 and alum.

 

Vaccine Administration:

• The vaccine should be administered intramuscularly in two doses of 0.5 ml each with an interval of 28 days (Day 0 and 28) and has to be stored between 2 degrees Celsius to 8 degrees Celsius.

 

Development:

• Biological E. Limited (BE), a Hyderabad-based Pharmaceuticals & Biologics Company developed it.
• The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and its Public Sector Undertaking (PSU), Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), have played a key role in its development.

 

Types of Vaccine Platforms:

• There are two categories of Vaccines: Component Viral Vaccines and Whole Virus Vaccines.

1. Component Viral Vaccines
2. Protein Subunit: Contains isolated and purified viral proteins.
3. Virus-like Particles (VLP): Contains viral proteins that mimic the structure of the virus, but no genetic material
4. DNA-basedand RNA-based: Contains viral genetic material (such as mRNA) which provides the instructions for making viral proteins
5. Non-Replicated Viral Vector: Contains viral genetic material packaged inside another harmless virus that cannotcopy itself
6. Replicating Viral Vector: Contains viral genetic material packaged inside another harmless virus that cancopy itself.

 

Whole Virus Vaccines:

1. Inactivated: Contains copies of the virus that have been killed (inactivated)
2. Live-Attenuated: Contains copies of the virus that have been weakened (attenuated)

 https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1800918