26 January 2023 | News
Next step would be to develop vaccines for non-communicable diseases: Dr Jitendra Singh
image credit- PIB
Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare, unveiled the iNNCOVACC COVID-19 vaccine on 26th January 2023 in the presence of Union Minister of State (IC) for Science and Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh.
iNNCOVACC is the world’s first intranasal COVID-19 vaccine to receive approval for the primary 2-dose schedule, and as a heterologous booster dose. It is developed by Bharat Biotech International Limited (BBIL) in collaboration with Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance (BIRAC), a PSU under the Dept of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology.
Congratulating BBIL for innovating another vaccine in collaboration with BIRAC, Dr Jitendra Singh said that “India has taken a lead in developing vaccines and medicines for diseases common in the developing world. Next step would be to develop vaccines for non-communicable diseases”.
A rollout of iNCOVACC is expected to begin in private hospitals that have placed advance orders. Initial manufacturing capacity of several million doses per annum has been established, which can be scaled up to a billion doses as required. iNCOVACC is priced at Rs 325/dose for large volume procurement by State Governments and Govt of India.