About GEMCOVAC-OM

GEMCOVAC-OM, the vaccine that has gained emergency use authorization from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), is a powerful tool against the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV2.

• Considering the urgent need for a booster dose and the limited efficacy of original vaccines against the Omicron variant, GEMCOVAC-OM is a timely intervention.
• The vaccine has shown robust immune responses in phase 3 clinical trials carried out at various centres across India.
• Unlike the current vaccines used for booster doses, which are designed against older strains of SARS-COV-2, GEMCOVAC-OM targets the Omicron variant specifically.
• While existing vaccines boost immunity, their ability to neutralize the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 is limited.
• By developing antibodies and memory immune responses specific to the Omicron variant, GEMCOVAC-OM aims to reduce the chances of infection and hospitalization, thereby preventing future pandemic waves.
• Significantly, GEMCOVAC-OM is the first mRNA-based vaccine in India.

Understanding mRNA Vaccines

Unlike traditional vaccines that introduce antigens to stimulate an antibody response, mRNA vaccines operate differently.

• A fragment of mRNA, which carries instructions to build antigens of the virus, is injected directly into the cells. This stimulates an adaptive immune response.
• A key advantage of mRNA vaccines is their ability to stimulate cellular immunity. However, they require cold storage conditions as they are more fragile than traditional DNA vaccines and degrade quickly when exposed to the outside environment.
• mRNA vaccines trick the body into producing some of the viral proteins. They use messenger RNA, which puts DNA instructions into action, as a template to build a protein inside a cell.

Related Resources