ZyCoV-D Vaccine 

---

India is to get its sixth COVID-19 vaccine soon as drug firm Zydus Cadila’s needle-free COVID-19 vaccine called ‘ZyCoV-D’ is all set to get emergency use authorization (EUA) approval. 

Key Points 

• ZyCoV-D is a plasmid DNA vaccine which when injected produces the spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and elicits an immune response mediated by the cellular and humoral arms of the human immune system, which play a vital role in protection from disease as well as viral clearance, states the press release issued by the company. 

• In simple terms, DNA vaccines carry into the body the genetic code for that part of the virus that triggers the immune system in the body. The message is decoded then to produce antibodies. This ensures that when an individual gets the actual virus, the body already knows how to fight it. 

What Differentiates ZyCoV-D? 

• Instead of using an injection, ZyCoV-D is applied using The PharmaJet needle-free system, Tropis. The technology uses a single-use, sterile, disposable syringe with a reusable injector. A needle-free syringe is filled with the vaccine and loaded to the injector. 

• ZyCoV-D is an intradermal injection which means it only goes into the skin, unlike large needles that are given in the muscles. According to the company, the PharmaJet needle-free system can also lead to a significant reduction in any kind of side-effects.