India approves 2 more Covid vaccines, 1 Covid pill

The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation(CDSCO)under Directorate General of Health Services,Ministry of Health & Family Welfare,Government of India has approved two more vaccines namely Corbevax and Covovax and anti-viral drug Molnupiravir for emergency use against Covid-19 in a single day.

In a tweet, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said, “Congratulations India. Further strengthening the fight against COVID-19, CDSCO, @MoHFW_INDIA has given 3 approvals in a single day for: – CORBEVAX vaccine – COVOVAX vaccine – Anti-viral drug Molnupiravir For restricted use in an emergency situation”.

On Monday, the Subject Expert Committee (SEC) on COVID-19 of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) had recommended granting emergency use authorisation (EUA) to the COVID-19 vaccines Covovax and Corbevax with certain conditions as well as restricted emergency use approval to the drug Molnupiravir for treatment of adult patients with COVID-19 and who have high risk of progression.

With this approval, the number of Covid vaccines which have received emergency use authorisation in the country has increased to eight.

So far six COVID-19 vaccines — Serum Institute’s Covishield, Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin, Zydus Cadila’s ZyCoV-D, Russia’s Sputnik V and the US-made Moderna and Johnson and Johnson — have received emergency use authorisation from the Indian drug regulator.

CORBEVAX covid vaccine

CORBEVAX vaccine is India’s 1st indigenously developed RBD protein sub-unit vaccine against COVID19, Made by Hyderabad-based firm Biological-E.

COVOVAX Covid vaccine

The Nanoparticle Vaccine, COVOVAX, will be manufactured by Pune-based firm Serum Institute of India.

Molnupiravir covid pill

Molnupiravir, an antiviral drug, will now be manufactured in the country by 13 companies for restricted use under emergency situation for the treatment of adult patients with COVID-19 and who have a high risk of progression of the disease.