Corbevax and Covovax

Corbevax and Covovax

Subject – Science and Tech

Context – India has approved two more vaccines, Corbevax and Covovax, under emergency use authorisation, as well as an antiviral drug, Molnupiravir, to fight against COVID-19

Concept –

Corbevax –

• Corbevax is a protein sub-unit vaccine co-developed by Hyderabad-based Biological E, Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, U.S., and American company Dynavax Technologies.
• A protein sub-unit vaccine is made by isolating a piece of the actual virus.
• As fragments are used, there is no danger that these will multiply within the body. These pieces are expected to trigger an immune response that, hopefully, will stymie future infection.
• As only a small part of the virus —in the case of Corbevax the spike protein is the piece— is exposed to the immune system, only antibodies specific to the spike protein are expected to be produced and is therefore, less likely to trigger adverse reactions.
• The vaccine can be stored in ordinary refrigerators.

Covovax

• Covovax is produced by the Serum Institute of India under licence from Novavax, a U.S.-based biotechnology company.
• Covovax has been approved by the World Health Organization under its Emergency Use Listing and therefore will also be available globally as part of the COVAX initiative.
• It is similar to protein sub-unit vaccines and differs from, say Corbevax, in how the spike protein is produced.
• In Corbevax, the spike protein is grown typically in yeast cells whereas in Covovax, spike proteins are grown in moth cells.
• A nanoparticle formula is used to make it resemble the structure of the coronavirus spike protein to stimulate the immune response. This also needs an adjuvant and booster shots.

Molnupiravir

• Molnupiravir is said to be a promising drug for those with mild and moderate disease and can also be easily administered as a pill.
• Thirteen companies in India are set to manufacture this drug.
• It has been approved for use under emergency use authorisation for treating adults with COVID-19 “who have high risk of progression to disease.”