A vial labelled “Novavax V COVID-19 Vaccine” is seen on this illustration taken January 16, 2022.
Dado Ruvic | Reuters
The Meals and Drug Administration licensed Novavax‘s up to date protein-based Covid vaccine for emergency use in individuals ages 12 and up on Friday, paving the way in which for the shot to compete with Pfizer and Moderna‘s jabs this fall and winter.
Novavax’s vaccine targets the extremely contagious omicron subvariant JN.1, which started circulating extensively within the U.S. earlier this 12 months. JN.1 solely accounted for 0.2% of instances circulating nationwide as of this week, in line with the most recent Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention data.
Novavax manufactures protein-based vaccines, which can’t be shortly up to date to focus on one other pressure of the virus.
Regardless of that, the biotech firm has famous that its shot gives safety towards descendants of JN.1 which are at the moment dominant within the U.S., together with KP.2.3, KP.3, KP.3.1.1 and LB.1.
“Our up to date vaccine targets JN.1, the ‘father or mother pressure’ of at the moment circulating variants, and has proven sturdy cross-reactivity towards JN.1 lineage viruses,” Novavax CEO John Jacobs stated in a press release.
Novavax stated it expects its shot to be “broadly obtainable” in hundreds of places throughout the U.S., together with retail and unbiased pharmacies and regional grocers.
Shares of Novavax rose greater than 8% on Friday following the announcement.
The FDA’s resolution comes solely per week after it accepted a brand new spherical of messenger RNA shots from Pfizer and Moderna, which each goal one other offshoot of JN.1 known as KP.2. Final 12 months, the company licensed Novavax’s shot practically a month after clearing vaccines from its rivals, placing the corporate at an obstacle.
Public well being officers see Novavax’s vaccine as a useful various for individuals who do not need to take mRNA pictures from Pfizer and Moderna, which use a more moderen vaccine methodology to show cells find out how to make proteins that set off an immune response towards Covid. Novavax’s shot, in the meantime, fends off the virus with protein-based know-how, a decades-old methodology utilized in routine vaccinations towards hepatitis B and shingles.
It is unclear how many individuals will get a brand new Covid shot this fall and winter.
Solely round 22.5% of U.S. adults obtained the most recent spherical of pictures that got here out final fall, in line with CDC data by early Might.
