India is developing an anti-corona vaccine that can tolerate even heat, that is, kept in normal temperature. It is clear that like the current vaccine, cold chain storage will not be required to keep this vaccine. The new indigenous vaccine can be kept for four weeks at 37 °C and for one and a half hours at 100 °C.
1. Where and which company is doing manufacturing?
Bengaluru-based Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and biotech start-up company Minvax are jointly developing this vaccine.
2. At what temperature is the current vaccine being kept?
The major vaccines being given in India are Covishield and Covaccine. Both have to be kept in a temperature of two to eight degrees Celsius. To keep Pfizer’s vaccine safe, cold storage at minus 70 degrees Celsius is needed.
3. Could the new vaccine work on Delta-Omicron?
In a rat experiment, this vaccine has produced strong antibodies against the Delta and Omicron forms.
4. What kind of vaccine will this be?
To develop this ‘worm’ vaccine, a viral spike protein called receptor binding domain (RBD) has been used. This is how the virus reaches human cells.
5. What is called worm vaccine?
Researchers have to say that such a vaccine which is effective even at high temperature is called warm vaccine.
6. Will it work for poor countries?
If all goes well, the vaccine could play a big role in addressing inequality in poor and low-income countries that do not have adequate cold chain storage facilities.
7. Have there been human trials?
To find out the effect of the vaccine, tests have been done on rat blood samples. Human trials have not taken place.