The Ahmedabad-based Zydus Cadila has developed the anti-Covid vaccine 'ZyCoV-D'. The anti-Covid vaccine is prepared to be included in the continuing nationwide inoculation drive.

The company has commenced the supply of its first batch of the vaccine to the Union Government.

The company has started the supply of the 03-dose ZyCoV-D to the Government of India. They are also planning to provide this vaccine in the private market, informed the company through Twitter.

In August last year, the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) already approved the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) of ZyCoV-D. This vaccine is the only needle-free COVID vaccine in the world.

The company also developed this vaccine as the world's first Plasmid DNA vaccine.

ZyCoV-D will be administered on days 0, 28 and 56 and it has been priced at Rs. 358/ dose which includes the prices of individual dose i.e. Rs. 265 plus Rs. 93 for the applicator. This takes the overall cost to Rs. 1074 that the patients need to spend to be inoculated with ZyCoV-D. Earlier, the developers quoted the final price to Rs.1900.

ZyCoV-D was the first vaccine to be granted EUA status for an age group below 18 usages, as it has been cleared for the age group of 12 and above.

The inoculation drive for teenagers aged 15-18 started on Jan 03 this year.

For now, Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech's Covaxin and ZyCoV-D are India's first two indigenous vaccines against this COVID.