Apart from Covishield, Covaxin and Sputnik, we have recently started hearing the name of a new vaccine - Corbevax. India has recently placed an advance order to block 30 crore doses of the vaccine, from a Hyderabad-based company named Biological E. Here's all you must know about this new COVID-19 vaccine.
Who discovered Corbevax?
The vaccine is developed by the Texas Children’s Hospital Centre for Vaccine Development at Baylor College of Medicine.
Why is it important?
Reports suggest that Corbevax could be India's cheapest vaccine and may cost Rs 250 for a dose. The government hospitals provide Covishield for Rs 300 per dose. This is the first time the Indian government has placed an order for a vaccine that has not received emergency use authorisation, paying Rs 1,500 crore in advance. They will procure doses enough to vaccinate as many as 15 crore Indians.
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How does it work?
While the other vaccines fall under these categories - mRNA (Pfizer), inactivated virus (Covaxin), or viral vector category (Covishield), Corbevax is a recombinant protein subunit vaccine. This means that the vaccine contains the Coronavirus' spike protein, which if injected invokes an immune response. The vaccine is currently in stage 3 of its trials, which will end in July.
