As the world enters into the 3rd year since the COVID pandemic started,the world witnessed rapid development of Vaccines in record time.
Over the course of time,it has been proven the vaccines don’t prevent the transmission of the virus.This is because of lack of local immunity in the nasal mucosa mediated by IgA antibodies are not influenced by the presently used intramuscular vaccines.
With this background,it has been speculated that a nasal vaccine would be a game changer.
The Bharat biotech the manufacturers of the COVAXIN vaccine in India have come out with iNCOVACC(BBV154).
Government of India has approved this nasal vaccine for the heterologous booster dose for adults.
It is not a nasal spray but two shot primary vaccination delivered through the nose( 4 drops in each nostril).
What about the efficacy?
No efficacy data supplied by the manufacturers but only immunigenecity data released compared to COVAXIN vaccine.
The vaccine contains a chimp adenovirus 36 just like AZ/Covishield vax.
In the case of Poliomyelitis,live attenuated Polio virus is used thus it is effective unlike here.
The study conducted by the company should have included the COVISHIELD vaccine instead of COVAXIN as COVISHIELD vaccine is known to induce more IgG antibodies.
Aztra Zeneca did try with a nasal vaccine but it ended being a failure as the droplets ended being swallowed and destroyed in the stomach instead.
History has shown,nasal flu vaccines didn’t work.
Considering the overall evidences infront of us,there are serious doubts about the efficacy of the nasal vaccine.
For more clarity,the manufacturers should subject this nasal vaccine against the Omicron sub variants and mucosal immunity protection it offers.
The new variant XBB.1.5 is causing uneasiness as it is spreading faster and can evade immune system better than the predecessors.
It is causing increasing hospitalisations in Newyork and spreading elsewhere.
Now,the scientific community is thinking of boosting the immunity through another platform vaccines.
India has approved Nasal vaccine produced by Bharat Biotech. The efficacy of nasal vaccines are doubtful.
Protein subunit vaccine called Corbevax produced by a Hyderabad company is a good platform vaccine to address the issue.
India, today has all the technology available to manufacture any of these vaccine portfolios in India and supply to the rest of the world, something it has built from Hepatitis B and Hepatitis E vaccines.
