Zydus Cadila likely to launch Covid-19 vaccine ZyCoV-D next month

India’s fourth Covid-19 vaccine is likely to be available next month as sources say Cadila Healthcare’s ZyCoV-D, the world’s first plasmid DNA vaccine, will be launched in December. The launch may pave the way for Covid-19 jabs for adolescents as the vaccine is approved for use in children aged 12 years and above.

The company did not wish to comment. Cadila Healthcare (Zydus Cadila) had said in the first week of November it had received an order to supply 10 million doses of ZyCoV-D to the Centre. The vaccine has been priced at Rs 265 per dose and the needle-free applicator is being offered at Rs 93 a dose, excluding goods and services tax (GST).

Sources say vaccinations for children may start in January. “It is likely to start with co-morbid and vulnerable children in January, and by March, it is likely to be made open for all children,” a source in the know said.

Meanwhile, Zydus is working with a Korean partner to commercialise ZyCoV-D in South Korea in 2022. Zydus will provide manufacturing licences and transfer the plasmid DNA vaccine technology to Enzychem Lifesciences. Enzychem will make 80 million doses of the vaccine in 2022 and some of this production could come to India, a source said.