Intranasal Covid vaccine candidate in early clinical stage of development in India, says government

An intranasal vaccine candidate (BBV154), being developed by Bharat Biotech, is in early clinical stage of development in India, Minister of State for Health Ashwini Choubey told the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.

Choubey was responding to a question on the status of launching a nasal vaccine for Covid-19.

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Most vaccines are administered by injection through intramuscular or subcutaneous route. But, intranasal vaccines are administered as a nasal spray and offer a needle-free approach for vaccine administration, Choubey said in a written reply.

"The interval period between the two doses is presently 21 days. The schedule will be finalized after the phase I clinical trial data. Currently, in phase I clinical trial, single dose and two dose schedules are being tested," the minister said.