Andhra Pradesh: VIMS to conduct intranasal COVID vaccine trials

Visakhapatnam: Visakha Institute of Medical Science (VIMS) is one of the ten volunteers and the only institution in Andhra Pradesh to start human clinical trials of COVID-19 intranasal vaccine (BBV154).

Bharat Biotech has provided all the required facilities needed to run the trials. Bharat Biotech International Limited (BBIL) is an Indian multinational biotechnology company headquartered in the city of Hyderabad and has in-licensed technology from Washington University in St Louis.

To check for vaccine-induced immunity, these study patients will undergo regular physicals and laboratory tests before and after the dosages are administered as part of the study and its goal is to assess the nasal vaccine's immunogenicity, safety, reactogenicity, and adverse events of particular interest.

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Speaking to TOI, VIMS director Dr. K Rambabu said "The vaccine will stimulate both systemic and mucosal immune responses. This means that the vaccine can create an immune response in the nose, which may help in the prevention of infection as well as transmission of the pandemic virus."