Covovax, Serum Institute of India’s COVID Vaccine, Approved For 12-17 Age Group

The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation's Subject Expert Committee had approved the Serum Institute of India's Covovax for restricted use in emergency situations in adults on December 28. On March 9, it recommended granting the Emergency Use Authorisation for Covovax for the 12-17 age group.

Delhi: The COVID-19 Working Group of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) has approved the inclusion of the Serum Institute’s Covovax in the national vaccination programme for those aged 12 years and above, news agency ANI reported quoting sources on Friday. Covovax is manufactured by technology transfer from Novavax.

The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation’s Subject Expert Committee had approved the Serum Institute of India’s Covovax for restricted use in emergency situations in adults on December 28. On March 9, it recommended granting the Emergency Use Authorisation for Covovax for the 12-17 age group.

NTAGI approves Serum Institute of India's Covovax for the 12-17 age group: Sources #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/v84yzEAEMA

— ANI (@ANI) April 29, 2022

“The COVID-19 working group of the NTAGI (National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation) had earlier reviewed data related to Covovax and okayed it. The NTAGI’s Standing Technical Sub-Committee which met on Friday has recommended that the vaccine can be used for 12-17 years age group,” an official source told news agency PTI.

Serum Institute of India (SII) Director for Government and Regulatory Affairs Prakash Kumar Singh had written to the Union Health Ministry recently, requesting for Covovax’s inclusion in the immunisation drive for those 12 years and above. Singh had stated that the Pune-based firm wanted to provide Covovax to private hospitals at Rs 900 per dose plus GST and was waiting for directions to supply it to the Centre. However, the price of the vaccine for the government was not mentioned.

Novavax has earlier said its vaccine was 80 per cent effective against Covid-19 in a late-stage trial testing the shot in 2,247 teens aged 12 to 17 years. The company has said that Covovax produced an immune response in the same age group in a mid- to a late-stage study involving 460 Indian adolescents.

India began inoculating children aged 12-14 from March 16. Biological E’s Corbevax is being used to inoculate them.

Last December, DCGI authorised Novavax’s Covid-19 vaccine for people aged 18 years and above.