Kolkata: Clinical trial ends for fourth Covid vaccine – Times of India

KOLKATA: The clinical trial of Zycov-D, the fourth Covid vaccine, is over and part of it was done in the city. The patients have been observed and the final results have been submitted by manufacturer Zydus Cadila to the DCGI for a go-ahead. The vaccine can be used on children in the 12-17 years age bracket.
A total of 1,200 people were part of the clinical trial that was done in two hospitals in Kolkata and none of them has developed contraindications, it was said. Across the country, 26,800 people have been put through the trial. However, the two trial hospitals and the agency that facilitated the clinical trial here were unable to recruit a single child in the 12-17 age bracket because parents were unwilling. However, it was done in other cities.
The trials started in January and were concluded in mid-March, after which the patients were under observation. This vaccine is different from the other three (Covaxin, Covishield and Sputnik) because it will not be administered through a syringe but will use a needle-free injector. It is also different because it uses the DNA platform instead of the RNA messenger platform of the other three vaccines.
“In the case of mRNA vaccines, the mRNA antibodies enter the body and make proteins directly. In case of Zycov-D, since the DNA platform is used, it first makes the mRNA and then it is transmitted to form proteins which inactivates the spike protein of the virus,” said Tanmoy Kumar Mandal, principal faculty of the Netaji Subhas hospital.
“We are especially happy because this is the first vaccine in our country that is also taking children into consideration. The vaccine will probably help the board year students from this year itself,” said Snehendu Konar, spokesperson for CliniMed Life Sciences, the clinical agency that facilitated the trial here.