Lately, India ordered advance 300 million doses of Corbevas from Hyderabad-based company Biological E.
How does this new vaccine, Corbevax, works?
corbevax
It’s made up of a subset of SARS-Cov-2, the virus’s surface spike protein; in layman’s terms, it’s a collection of protein subunits. The virus can enter the body through this spike protein and cause sickness. The distinction is that, unlike the other two vaccines, the vaccination does not include the virus. As a preventative step, the body will develop a shield around the vaccine and resist it. Because the fightback is now present in the body through this route, the vaccine will prevent the virus from entering the body.
Hepatitis B is vaccinated in the same way as Hepatitis A. Novavax is a protein-based vaccine that is currently being tested for emergency usage.
What Makes Corbevax Different From the Other Two Vaccines?
covid 19 vaccine
Corbevax is a protein-based vaccine, while Covinshield and Covaxin are viral vectors or inactivated vaccines. It suggests the former had the virus’s dead particles to build an immune system in the body. The body is designed to oppose the vaccine. Corbevax, on the other hand, takes a different approach to the spike protein. However, as Dr. Peter Hotez points out, “the protein is delivered by the vaccine to construct a shield.”
Corbevax, like other vaccines, would come in two doses. It is also likely to be less expensive than other vaccines available in the country.
How Was Corbevax Produced?
The National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine was the birthplace of Corbevax. For over a decade, the institution had been developing recombinant protein vaccines.
The sequencing for SARS-Cov-2 was released in February 2020, allowing the school to continue working on cloning and engineering for the spike protein. Corbevax, according to Dr. Hotex, was created by inserting genes into yeast, which then released protein. To purify the protein, the remnants of protein are eliminated. Finally, an adjuvant was added to the vaccination to improve stimulation and immune response.
This vaccine is believed to be the cheapest in India, and it will soon be available for distribution in hospitals.