New vaccines for COVID-19 are emerging. One such vaccine is Novavax. Early studies indicate that it may have similar efficacy to the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines but fewer side effects. Further trials and analyses of the initial results are underway to understand its effects better.
Medical News Today has contacted over 20 experts for comment on the potential side effects of the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine, Nuvaxovid. As of the time of publication, they have declined to comment until additional peer-reviewed data become available. On January 31, 2022, Novavax submitted a request to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for emergency use authorizationTrusted Source for its COVID-19 vaccine candidate.
Over 30 countries, including the United Kingdom, Australia, and Germany, have already approved this vaccine for emergency use. Stay informed with live updates on the current COVID-19 outbreak and visit our coronavirus hub for more advice on prevention and treatment. Unlike mRNA vaccines, such as Pfizer and Moderna, the Novavax vaccine uses a longer-standing protein-based technology. The flu vaccine and the hepatitis B vaccine, which doctors have administered throughout the U.S. since 1986, use this technology.
The proteins inside the Novavax vaccine mimic COVID-19’s spike protein. They were created in moth cells and then assembled into nanoparticles – small particles made of a few hundred atoms. While they share COVID-19’s molecular structure, they do not replicate or cause COVID-19. The vaccination involves injecting the nanoparticles into arm muscles alongside a compound extracted from the soapbark tree, which acts as an adjuvant to attract immune cells to the injection site. A full course of the vaccine requires two doses taken 3 weeks apart. The results from two large phase 3 trials on Novavax have been published.One trial in the United States and Mexico included 29,949 participants ages 18 and over who had not previously contracted SARS-CoV-2. On a ratio of 2:1, they received two doses of either the Novavax vaccine or a placebo.
Overall, the researchers found that the Novavax vaccine was 92.6% effective against the Alpha and Beta variants of the virus.
They also tracked side effects for 7 days after each dose.
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The WHO also highlights that data on having the vaccine during pregnancy is not yet available.
