Novavax COVID Vaccine Effected vs All Omicron Variants

Novavax, a biotech company, has proven that its COVID-19 vaccine may elicit effective immune responses against all circulating Omicron variants. The unexpected data was submitted to a US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory panel created to discuss booster immunization schedules for later this year, Rich Haridy reported for New Atlas.

Photo Insert: The data show that a booster shot of Novavax's vaccine generates neutralizing antibody responses to Omicron variants comparable to what was shown against the original strain of SARS-CoV-2 during its initial Phase 3 trial.

The newly revealed results came as a surprise during a meeting that was apparently focused on presentations from Pfizer and Moderna about their mRNA COVID-19 vaccine trials aimed at new Omicron-specific formulations.

Although Novavax's vaccine has yet to be approved for use in the United States, Peter Marks, director of the FDA's vaccine department, said it was crucial for the firm to submit this data to assist the panel understand how it could fit into booster plans for later this year.

The COVID-19 vaccine from Novavax has had a bumpy journey to approval in the United States. In early 2020, it was part of Operation Warp Speed, the first round of US government financing aimed at developing a COVID-19 vaccine.

Development and manufacturing issues held things down in 2021, but by the end of the year, the novel vaccine was being distributed globally.

Novavax's latest studies show that its original vaccine formulation appears to elicit wide immunological responses, resulting in antibodies that respond effectively to all new Omicron variations, including the most immune-evasive BA.5 subtype.

The data show that a booster shot of Novavax's vaccine generates neutralizing antibody responses to Omicron variants comparable to what was shown against the original strain of SARS-CoV-2 during its initial Phase 3 trial.

Because it employs a distinct type of vaccine technology, Novavax believes its vaccine will be more successful against emerging SARS-CoV-2 variations than mRNA vaccines. This vaccine is a protein subunit vaccine, and its development begins with the cultivation of the famed coronavirus spike proteins in big manufacturing facilities.

The proteins are then combined into nanoparticles that imitate the virus's structure. These nanoparticles are combined with adjuvants, which are chemicals that aid in the body's immune response.

WEEKLY FEATURE : MVP Group Keeps Lights On During Pandemic