Corbevax approved for 12-14 year-olds: what is it, and how does it work?

Children between the ages of 12 and 14 in India can now receive the Corbevax vaccine for Covid-19, which is manufactured by Hyderabad-based Biological-E. What is it, and how does it work?

Corbevax is India's second indigenous vaccine after Covaxin.

The Centre has opened up Covid-19 vaccination for children between the ages of 12 and 14, allowing them to receive Corbevax, a vaccine against Covid-19 that is manufactured by Hyderabad-based Biological-E. Corbevax is India’s first indigenously developed Receptor Binding Domain (RBD) protein sub-unit vaccine. What is it, and how does it work? Take a look:

Here’s what you need to know about Corbevax

How does Corbevax work?

India’s Covid-19 vaccine basket for children, young adults

Corbevax, a protein sub-unit Covid-19 vaccine, is one that is built on the traditional sub-unit vaccine platform. Instead of the whole virus, the platform triggers an immune response by using fragments of it, like the spike protein. The sub-unit vaccine contains the harmless S-protein, and once the human immune system recognises it, it produces antibodies, such as white blood cells, that fight the infection.

Corbevax includes antigenic parts of the virus to trigger a protective immune response. The antigen has been developed by the Texas Children’s Hospital Centre for Vaccine Development and in-licensed from BCM Ventures, Baylor College of Medicine’s integrated commercialization team.

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