The Food and Drug Administration recently authorized Novavax’s updated protein-based Covid vaccine for emergency use in individuals aged 12 and older. This approval now allows Novavax to compete with well-established vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna during the upcoming fall and winter months.
Novavax’s vaccine specifically targets the omicron subvariant JN.1, which has been rapidly spreading throughout the United States. While JN.1 currently only makes up a small percentage of total Covid cases nationwide, Novavax’s CEO John Jacobs expressed confidence in the vaccine’s ability to provide protection against variations of the JN.1 lineage, including KP.2.3, KP.3, KP.3.1.1, and LB.1.
Novavax anticipates that its vaccine will soon be widely available across the United States, with plans to distribute it to thousands of locations, such as retail pharmacies, independent pharmacies, and regional grocers. Following the FDA’s announcement, Novavax’s stock price surged by over 8%.
Public health officials view Novavax’s vaccine as a valuable alternative for individuals who may be reluctant to receive mRNA vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna. While Pfizer and Moderna use a newer technology that instructs cells on producing proteins to trigger an immune response, Novavax’s protein-based approach has been used for decades in vaccines against diseases like hepatitis B and shingles.
With the availability of Novavax’s updated vaccine, it remains to be seen how many individuals will opt to receive a new Covid shot this fall and winter. Currently, only around 22.5% of the U.S.
population is fully vaccinated, so the introduction of Novavax’s vaccine could potentially help increase vaccination rates and provide more options for individuals seeking protection against Covid-19.
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