Serum to launch cheap, single dose nasal vaccine Nasovac in India

Nasovac, the India-made injection free, nasal vaccine for H1N1 swine flu is expected to hit the markets by the end of June, reports said.

Nasovac, developed by Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII), can be taken in as a spray through the nostrils and does required to be injected into the body like other vaccine to fight H1N1 swine flu available in the country.

Nasovac is effective in a single dose and no second dosage is necessary as in the case of injectable H1N1 influenza vaccines.

The nasal vaccine has been tested in more than 370 people and found safe. Nasovac can prevent H1N1 swine flu infection for one year from the date of manufacture.

The nasal spray vaccine contains live attenuated strains of weakened forms of H1N1 virus developed from the H1N1 virus strain which was supplied by WHO to Serum Institute once H1NI was declared pandemic.

This attenuated virus is so weak that it can’t lead to an infection.

Nasovac vaccine will be delivered into the patient’s nose through a device which will be fitted on the top of a syringe.

The vaccine will be administered in each nostrils through a quick spray. Like other vaccines, the nasal spray also help develop anti bodies to protect against H1N1.

The vaccine also generate protective antibodies in the nose and throat besides in the blood.The clinical trials of the spray vaccine were conducted from 3 institutes from Pune and one each from Indore and Ahmedabad.

No major side-effects have been noticed during the clinical studies using Nasovac. Nasovac, however, should not be taken by those people allergic to eggs.

Nasovac is safe for children above three years old. The nasal vaccine has also been found to be safe on pregnant rats, suggesting that it can be given to pregnant women. But it has not been advised for pregnant women at the moment, Serum Institute officials said.

The single dose, easy to be taken Nasovac is cheaper as well. It comes for Rs 190/dose, the vaccine. It is far cheaper compared to the vailable injectable vaccine including made-in-India vaccine VaxiFlu by Zydus Cadila which is priced at Rs 390/dose.

The number of H1N1 cases has started going up with the onset of monsoon across India. H1N1 swine flu infection are going up in southern Indian states like Kerala of late, despite the fact that H1N1 influenza has started receding globally. Since May 15, about 200 confirmed cases with 16 deaths have been reported

http://www.dancewithshadows.com/pillscribe/serum-institute-develops-injection-free-nasal-spray-h1n1-vaccine-for-rs-150/

http://www.dancewithshadows.com/pillscribe/dengue-rat-fever-swine-flu-spread-widely-across-kerala-over-25-deaths/