SII-partner Novavax reports 90% efficacy, says focused first on developing

[NiveRoshni]

SII-partner Novavax reports 90% efficacy, says focused first on developing countries

The Maryland-headquartered company said its vaccine had demonstrated 100 per cent protection in late-stage trials against moderate and severe disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 — a boost for the prospects of its Indian version, Covovax.

Novavax will prioritise developing countries for the initial supplies of its Covid-19 vaccine, the Chief Executive Officer of the American biotechnology company said on Monday.

The Maryland-headquartered company said its vaccine had demonstrated 100 per cent protection in late-stage trials against moderate and severe disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 — a boost for the prospects of its Indian version, Covovax.

Overall, the efficacy of the vaccine was 90.4 per cent — that is, it showed the ability to bring down symptomatic Covid-19 cases by more than 90 per cent compared with those who had not received a vaccine.

Novavax will prioritise developing countries for the initial supplies of its Covid-19 vaccine, the Chief Executive Officer of the American biotechnology company said on Monday.

The Maryland-headquartered company said its vaccine had demonstrated 100 per cent protection in late-stage trials against moderate and severe disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 — a boost for the prospects of its Indian version, Covovax.

Overall, the efficacy of the vaccine was 90.4 per cent — that is, it showed the ability to bring down symptomatic Covid-19 cases by more than 90 per cent compared with those who had not received a vaccine.


"It should be noted... that, given that we've got a commitment of 1.1 billion doses with COVAX along with our partner Serum Institute (of India), a lot of our first doses are going to go into low- and middle-income countries, as they should," CEO Stanley C Erck said in a conference call on Monday after announcing the vaccine's performance in phase 3 trials in the United States and Mexico.

Several high-income countries have already inoculated large sections of their populations with vaccines manufactured by other companies, even as low- and middle-income countries have been struggling with acute vaccine shortages.

Novavax, a small company that received huge support from the Trump administration's Operation Warp Speed last year, also plans to fulfill its advance purchase agreements (APAs) with "four or five" high-income countries.

"But in the very early days, it's going to be low- and middle-income countries," Erck said.

The company expects to "transition" next year from its APAs and commitment towards supplying vaccines to developed and underdeveloped countries to "eventually" provide its jabs as a "booster" dose.

"I think, particularly in the United States, our vaccine is going to be probably most importantly used as a booster," Erck said.

In the short run, Novavax has a "tiered" pricing scheme for lower-, upper-, and middle-income countries that are "in line" with most other manufacturers.

Source : https://indianexpress.com/article/world/novavax-covid-vaccine-efficacy-7358582/