Enzychem Lifesciences and Cadila Healthcare, a part of the Zydus Group in India, have entered a Manufacturing License and Technology Transfer Agreement for the world’s first plasmid DNA vaccine (ZyCoV-D^®).

Following the results of a large clinical trial involving nearly 30,000 subjects, ZyCoV-D^® was recently granted emergency use approval (EUA) by India’s national regulatory agency for subjects 12 years and above.

Under the terms of this agreement, Zydus shall transfer its manufacturing technology and provide technical assistance to Enzychem.

Both Zydus and Enzychem believe that this partnership will lead to estimated manufacturing of 80 million or more doses of the plasmid DNA vaccine in 2022.

Accordingly, Enzychem shall pay Zydus license fees and royalties for the commercialization of the Plasmid DNA-based COVID-19 vaccine made in Korea and exported to a number of countries, including low-medium income countries (LMICs) in Latin America and Asian New Southern Policy member countries.

Dr Sharvil Patel, Managing Director, Cadila Healthcare Ltd., said, “Our aim is to provide new innovations and novel technologies that can support people with better approaches to healthcare. This agreement enables people in South Korea and other key markets of Enzychem, the access to a safe, well tolerated and efficacious vaccine with a novel platform to fight COVID-19.”