CMC to kickstart study on efficacy of Covid-19 booster dose

As demand for booster doses gather momentum in the wake of the new Omicron variant, Christian Medical College (CMC) Vellore is set to conduct a study to test the efficacy of a booster dose on those who have received two doses of Covaxin.

CMC Vellore has called for volunteers among those who have had two Covaxin jabs.

"Need volunteers for a clinical trial. People who have been administered two doses of Covaxin three to six months ago are eligible to enroll in a booster dosing study," Gagandeep Kang, a leading virologist, tweeted on Saturday. It is looking to enroll people in Vellore, Chennai, Bengaluru and Delhi.

India doesn't mandate the use of booster doses yet as the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) is currently considering scientific evidence to justify booster doses against Covid-19.

According to information available on www.ourworldindata.org, more than 60 countries are providing booster doses of Covid-19 vaccines.

The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), has so far granted permissions to two companies for conducting clinical trials for administration of booster doses.

Bharat Biotech has been given permission for administration of booster doses in the phase II part of ongoing phase I/II clinical trial of the whole virion inactivated Covid-19 vaccine-Covaxin. Bharat Biotech has been doing a study and the results are likely soon.

Biological E has also been given permission for conducting phase II/III clinical trial of its Covid-19 vaccine containing Receptor Binding Domain of SARS-CoV-2 (RBD antigen of SARS CoV-2 (Covid-19) (CORBEVAX). This clinical trail also includes a study of administration of booster doses.

On Friday, Pune based Serum Institute of India (SII) gave a presentation to the Subject Expert Committee (SEC), a body under India's drug regulator, seeking approval to use its Covid-19 vaccine Covishield as a booster dose.

The company said that was a need for booster shots due to the emergence of the highly mutated Omicron varient, and cited adequate stock of the vaccine in the country and the use of AstraZeneca's version of the vaccine as a booster in the UK to push its case. In India the AstraZeneca vaccine is sold under the brand name Covishield.