Virus experts recommend Novavax Covid-19 vaccine

RECOGNIZING the potential of the Novavax Covid vaccine in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, a panel of experts convened by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is recommending the vaccine developed by the US-based pharmaceutical for widespread use in order to overcome prevailing vaccine hesitancy throughout the world.

Three vaccines has been currently approved by the US FDA: that of Pfizer and Moderna’s mRNA-1273, which are based on messenger RNA, and Johnson and Johnson’s Janssen, which recently received a recommendation against broad use because of links to a serious form of clotting.

Virus experts voted 21 in favor of the Novavax vaccine known as Nuvavoxid, with none against, and one abstention, despite some concerns it may be linked to rare cases of heart inflammation.

The US drug regulator, which called the meeting, is expected to issue an emergency use authorization soon and with the issuance, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will then weigh in with guidance on how the vaccine should best be used. Maryland-based Novavax was an early frontrunner in the global vaccine race but it fell behind after being hit by manufacturing and regulatory delays. The US was one of the few major markets where it hasn’t yet received authorization while the European Union, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia are among many that have already given it the green light.

US officials are now hopeful that the Nuvavoxid shot, which is based on lab-grown viral proteins, could provide an alternative for people who are still hesitant of the mRNA technology used by Pfizer and Moderna.

In addition, the Novavax’s vaccine also doesn’t have the same cold storage requirements as the those manufactured by the other two drug firms.