SPUTNIK LIGHT VACCINE

SPUTNIK LIGHT VACCINE

TOPIC: Science & tech

Context- The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has given green signal to emergency use of single-dose Sputnik Light Covid vaccine in the country.

Concept-

Sputnik Light Vaccine:

• Sputnik Light has been made by Russia’s Gamaleya Center, built on a human adenovirus vector platform.
• It is a single dose vaccine.
• It is similar to component-1 of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine that has been used in the India’s national vaccination programme.
• The Russian Direct Investment Fund said that the single-dose vaccine has demonstrated 70 per cent efficacy against the disease caused by the Delta variant of Covid-19.
• Sputnik V used two different vector for each of the two shots in a course of vaccination. This provides immunity with a longer duration than vaccines using the same delivery mechanism for both shots.

Adenoviruses

• Adenoviruses (ADVs) are DNA viruses ranging from 70-90 nanometre in size, which induces many illnesses in humans like cold, respiratory infection etc.
• Adenoviruses are preferred for vaccines because their DNA is double stranded which makes them genetically more stable and the chances of them changing after injection are lower.
• Rabies vaccine is an adenovirus vaccine.
• Adenovirus vaccines are a type of viral vector vaccine.
• In this vaccine, adenovirus is used as a tool to deliver genes or vaccine antigens to the target host tissue.
• However, there are drawbacks of adenovirus vector vaccines like pre-existing immunity in humans, inflammatory responses etc.

Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO):

• The CDSCO is the Central Drug Authority for discharging functions assigned to the Central Government under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.
• Major Functions:
  • Regulatory control over the import of drugs, approval of new drugs and clinical trials.
  • Approval of certain licences as Central Licence Approving Authority

Drug Controller General of India(DCGI)

• DCGI within CDSCO is responsible for approval of licences of specified categories of drugs such as blood and blood products, IV fluids, vaccines and sera in India.
• The DCGI is advised by the Drug Technical Advisory Board (DTAB) and the Drug Consultative Committee (DCC).
• It comes under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.