Prognosis

India Approves DNA-based Covid Shot, Boosting Vaccine Plan

  • Cadila’s vaccine receives local drug regulator’s approval
  • India has so far been slow to expand mix of deployed vaccines

A 'door-to-door' Covid-19 vaccination team surveys the area at a village in the Budgam district of Jammu and Kashmir, India.

Photographer: Sumit Dayal/Bloomberg
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India granted emergency-use approval to its first DNA-based vaccine against Covid-19 as the world’s second-worst-hit nation seeks to bolster its immunization drive to ward off a possible third wave of infections.

A three-dose vaccine developed by Ahmedabad-based Cadila Healthcare Ltd., which had reported 67% efficacy against symptomatic Covid in clinical trials in July, was given the go-ahead on Friday, the government said in a statement. This is the second indigenously-developed shot to receive approval.