New Delhi,   Hyderabad-based Pharmaceuticals firm Biological E Ltd (BE) on Saturday announced that its Covid-19 vaccine Corbevax has been cleared by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) as a heterologous Covid-19 booster for 18 plus population after their primary vaccination with two doses of Covishield and Covaxin.

With this, Biological E Limited's Corbevax has become the first Covid-19 vaccine in India to be approved by the DCGI as a heterologous Covid-19 booster dose.

The Corbevax booster can be given six months after administration of the second dose of the vaccine. The adults fully vaccinated with Covishield or Covaxin can take Corbevax as their third or booster dose.

"BE has furnished clinical trials data to the DGCI who after a detailed evaluation and deliberation with Subject Experts Committee, granted their approval for administering Corbevax vaccine as a heterologous booster dose", said vaccine manufacturer in a statement.

"We are very happy with this approval, which will address the need for Covid-19 booster doses in India. We have crossed yet another milestone in our Covid-19 vaccination journey. This approval reflects once again the sustained world class safety standards and high immunogenicity of Corbevax," Mahima Datla, Managing Director of Biological E Ltd, said.