India approves first indigenous protein sub-unit COVID-19 vaccine

Hyderabad-based Biological E has announced that its CORBEVAX, India’s first indigenously developed protein sub-unit vaccine against COVID-19, has received the approval from the Drugs Controller General of India (DGCI). CORBEVAX is a “recombinant protein subunit” vaccine, developed from the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein on the virus’s surface combined with Dynavax’s CpG 1018 adjuvant with alum, which helps the body build the immune response against the virus. The vaccine has been developed by Biological E in collaboration with Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development (Texas Children’s CVD) and Baylor College of Medicine (Baylor) in Houston, Texas. Biological E plans to complete production at a rate of 75 million doses per month, anticipating 100+ million doses per month from February 2022.