HGCO19

The Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science & Technology has has approved additional funding towards clinical studies of India's 'first of its kind' mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine - HGCO19, developed by Pune-based biotechnology company Gennova Biopharmaceuticals Ltd.

• This funding has been awarded under the 'Mission COVID Suraksha- The Indian COVID-19 Vaccine Development Mission' by DBT's dedicated Mission Implementation Unit at Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC).

Advantages of mRNA Vaccines

mRNA vaccines are considered safe as mRNA is non-infectious, non-integrating in nature, and degraded by standard cellular mechanisms.

• They are highly efficacious because of their inherent capability of being translatable into the protein structure inside the cell cytoplasm.
• They are fully synthetic and do not require a host for growth, e.g., eggs or bacteria.
• They can be quickly manufactured inexpensively under cGMP conditions to ensure their "availability" and "accessibility" for mass vaccination on a sustainable basis.