Which of the following was the first mRNA vaccine in India to be licensed for emergency use?

Correct option is B

Ans. (b)
Sol. The first mRNA vaccine in India to be licensed for emergency use was the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. In June 2021, the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) approved the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use. Later, in June 2022, India's first indigenously developed mRNA vaccine, GEMCOVAC-19, developed by Gennova Biopharmaceuticals, received emergency use authorization.
Explanation of each option:
· (a) Moderna mRNA 1273 – Incorrect. While Moderna's mRNA vaccine was approved for emergency use in India in June 2021, it was not the first mRNA vaccine to receive such approval.​
· (b) Pfizer vaccine – Correct answer. The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine was the first mRNA vaccine licensed for emergency use in India.​
· (c) Sinovac – Incorrect. Sinovac's vaccine is an inactivated virus vaccine, not an mRNA vaccine.​
· (d) Sputnik – Incorrect. The Sputnik V vaccine is a viral vector vaccine, not an mRNA vaccine.