On Monday, a press release from the drug maker, Bharat Biotech International Limited (BBIL), revealed that their COVID-19 intranasal vaccine (BBV154) was found to be safe, well-tolerated, and immunogenic in a controlled phase III clinical trial. The press release also stated that BBV154 is a specifically formulated vaccine administered via a nasal delivery system, designed and developed to be cost-effective in low and middle-income countries. The BBV154 is a recombinant replication-deficient adenovirus vectored vaccine with a pre-fusion stabilized spike protein. The intranasal vaccine was developed in partnership with Washington University in St. Louis.

The Centre partially funded product development and clinical trials conducted by Bharat Biotech through the COVID Suraksha program, an initiative by the Department of Biotechnology.

Dr. Suchitra K. Ella, Joint Managing Director, Bharat Biotech, stated that if the vaccine is approved, then the targeted route of administration will make mass immunization campaigns easier owing to its ease of administration and delivery device. She further added that the trials were conducted in 14 and 9 clinical trial sites to evaluate BBV154 as a primary dose (2-dose) and a heterologous booster dose across India, respectively.