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Pharmaceutical industry

European Medicines Agency Approves Novavax Coronavirus Vaccine

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has given the nod to the Novavax coronavirus vaccine, a protein-based shot that could be a game-changer in the fight against COVID-19. The vaccine, which uses a minuscule, look-alike version of the covid-19 spike protein, has proven to be safe and effective, with a 90.4% efficacy rate in studies conducted in the US and Mexico. Unlike mRNA vaccines, protein-based vaccines are cheaper to produce and easier to transport, making them an attractive option for poorer nations.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Novavax vaccine is the first protein-based vaccine approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) against the SARS-CoV-2.
  • The vaccine has a 90.4% efficacy rate in studies conducted in the US and Mexico.
  • Protein-based vaccines are cheaper to produce and easier to transport than mRNA vaccines, making them a more practical option for global vaccine campaigns.
  • The Novavax vaccine does not contain any killed coronavirus and uses a recombinant nanotechnology to generate the tiniest particles that resemble the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein.
  • Adjuvants, such as saponin, cholesterol, and phospholipids, are added to the vaccine to strengthen the immune response.
  • Other promising protein-based vaccine candidates are in development, including those from Biological E (India), Clover Biopharmaceuticals (China), Sanofi-GlaxoSmithKline (UK-France), Medicago (Canada), and sk bioscience (South Korea).
  • Protein-based vaccines are already a standard in national vaccine campaigns in countries such as Cuba, Russia, and Taiwan.

Statistics:

  • 90.4%: The efficacy rate of the Novavax vaccine in studies conducted in the US and Mexico.
  • 83%: The efficacy of the Novavax vaccine in a British study conducted during the alpha variant wave.
  • 50%: The efficacy of the Novavax vaccine in a South African study conducted during the beta variant wave.
  • 1 billion: The number of doses pledged by Novavax through the COVAX program.
  • 100-150 million: The number of doses that Novavax could produce per month.

Sources:

  • European Medicines Agency (EMA)
  • Novavax press release
  • Hindustan Times article published with permission from HT Digital Content Services
  • Biological E (India)
  • Clover Biopharmaceuticals (China)
  • Sanofi-GlaxoSmithKline (UK-France)
  • Medicago (Canada)
  • sk bioscience (South Korea)
  • Carlos Guzman, director of the department of Vaccinology and Applied Microbiology at the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, and a professor at the Hannover Medical School.

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