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WHO Experts Approves Novavax as COVID Vaccine

  • Posted Dec 22, 2021 12:32 by Yuri Matoszko
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INTERNATIONAL: On Friday, the WHO has issued an emergency use listing to Novavax's vaccine made by the Serum Institute of India, the world's biggest vaccine maker, paving the way for its use in low- and middle-income countries where rollout has been much slower than in Europe.

The WHO's Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization, known as SAGE, have issued a series of recommendations, including the use of the vaccine in persons with comorbidities, breastfeeding women, and those living with HIV.

After reviewing Novavax data the independent experts have claimed the vaccine could be used in pregnant women if the benefits of vaccination to the pregnant woman outweigh the potential risks.

Novavax said on Monday it had received the WHO's emergency use listing for the company's own version of the vaccine, which it will distribute in Europe and other markets.

The company has also announced on Tuesday it had begun administering its first booster doses of NVX-CoV2373 in a late-stage trial in people 18 years and older, paving the way for a fifth coronavirus shot in the region as the Omicron coronavirus variant spreads.

Data from two large studies showed the vaccine has an efficacy of around 90%, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has said, adding that there was currently limited data on its efficacy against some variants of concern, including Omicron.

Novavax has added that it would start shipping vaccines to the EU's 27-member states in January. BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca and J&J had already been approved for use in the EU. But faced with surging infections, EMA has been speeding up reviews of other shots and treatments.

Novavax's protein-based vaccine uses alternative technology to the other four shots, which makes it more interesting to the EU as it has sought to diversify its portfolio of vaccines.

COVID-19 infections have broken records in parts of Europe in recent weeks, with governments and researchers scrambling to bolster defences against the fast-spreading Omicron, prompting renewed curbs ahead of the Christmas holidays.


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