Indian nasal vaccine will be a game-changer against Covid

Intranasal vaccine BBV154 is being developed by the Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech.

Indian vaccine developer Bharat Biotech is working towards developing a nasal vaccine against the deadly Covid-19 virus. This, according to medical experts, may be a game-changer in the field of vaccination against a virus that has claimed around 1.5 lakh lives in India.

The intranasal vaccine BBV154, which is being developed by the Hyderabadbased Bharat Biotech, will be a game-changer in the field of vaccines since it can be administered directly through spraying or squirting the solution into the nostrils, unlike traditional vaccines that have to be injected into muscles or tissues.

The intranasal vaccine can also be self-administered since it does not require any injection or needles that need to be inserted into the body and would be like any other regular nasal spray that one uses in a nose congestion and would, therefore, minimise the use of healthcare professionals in the vaccination process. The company also claims that the intranasal vaccine, if successfully developed, can provide immunity to a large section of the population in a very short span of time.

HOW THE INTRANASAL VACCINE WORKS

The target of this vaccine is to deliver the dose directly through the respiratory pathway—the nose and the mucous membrane present in the upper throat will absorb the dose and create an immune response and create antibodies. Doctors say, since it is directly sprayed on the mucous membrane, the absorption is much faster, thus leading to a faster immune response.

According to Bharat Biotech and in their technical language, “The Intranasal vaccine will stimulate a broad immune response once sprayed in an individual’s nose that will neutralize the IGG, mucosal IGA, and T cell responses and create an Immune response at the site of infection which is in the nasal mucosa that is essential for blocking both infection and transmission of Covid-19.”

The company also claims that the vaccine will not only help trigger an immune response against the virus in the body, but will also help reduce the transmission significantly.

Bharat Biotech has also said that they have chosen to develop an intranasal vaccine since their research has proven that the nasal route has excellent potential of vaccination because of the organised immune system of the nasal mucosa.

BENEFITS OF INTRANASAL VACCINE

The intranasal vaccine will help India overcome the cumbersome efforts of