PharmaJet®, the maker of innovative, needle-free injection technology, announced that its partner Zydus Cadila, is partnering with Enzychem Lifesciences to manufacture their COVID-19 plasmid DNA vaccine in Korea. The plan is to manufacture 80+ million doses of the ZyCoV-D vaccine, which was recently granted emergency use approval by India’s national regulatory agency for those aged 12 years and above. The vaccine will be manufactured in Korea and exported to several lower-middle income countries in Latin America and Asian New Southern Policy member countries. It is exclusively delivered by the PharmaJet Tropis® Needle-free Injection System.
Under the terms of this agreement, Zydus will transfer its manufacturing technology and provide technical assistance to Enzychem Lifesciences. The vaccine is administered intradermally using the PharmaJet needle-free system, which can be deployed more readily, especially in resource-poor populations where these are urgently needed.
“This manufacturing agreement will enable people in lower-middle income countries access to a safe, well-tolerated and efficacious vaccine, delivered by a proven delivery system. Our systems have been successfully used to deliver millions of doses for polio immunization initiatives in Pakistan, Somalia, The Gambia, and numerous other countries. We are prepared for this commercialization initiative and have scaled our operations to meet the demand driven by COVID-19 vaccinations as we continue to fulfill our company mission of improving peoples’ lives through our needle-free delivery technology.”
Chris Cappello, President and CEO of PharmaJet
About PharmaJet
PharmaJet’s mission is to improve people’s lives through needle-free technology. PharmaJet Needle-free Systems provide increased vaccine effectiveness, a preferred patient and caregiver experience, and a proven path to commercialization. They are also safe, fast, and easy-to-use. The Stratis® System has U.S. FDA 510(k) marketing clearance, CE Mark, and WHO PQS certification to deliver medications and vaccines either intramuscularly or subcutaneously. The Tropis® System has CE Mark and WHO PQS certification for intradermal injections.
About Enzychem
Headquartered in Seoul, South Korea, Enzychem Lifesciences is developing novel small molecule therapeutics to target fundamental pathways in inflammation, patients with significant unmet needs in oncology, inflammatory, and severe respiratory diseases. Enzychem lead candidate, EC-18, has successfully completed US FDA phase 2 clinical testing in cancer patients. In response to the Korean government pledge for a Vaccine Hub, Enzychem has formed a consortium with Hanmi Pharma and several domestic companies in Korea to manufacture vaccines against COVID 19. The company plans to leverage its expertise in lipid chemistry and manufacturing to establish itself as a regional producer of lipid-based formulations for improved delivery of nucleic acids and other biologicals and drugs.
About Zydus
Zydus Cadila is an innovative, global pharmaceutical company that discovers, develops, manufactures and markets a broad range of healthcare therapies, including small molecule drugs, biologic therapeutics and vaccines. The group employs over 23,000 people worldwide, including 1,400 scientists engaged in R & D, and is dedicated to creating healthier communities globally.