Authored by Invoice Pan through The Epoch Instances (emphasis ours),

Novavax has secured a vaccine deal to supply the U.S. authorities with 1.5 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccine, a latecomer to a market the place the most important patrons have stopped shopping for.

The Maryland-based biotech firm reported on Monday that it has agreed with the U.S. authorities to switch an current contract, however didn’t disclose how a lot will probably be paid for the vaccine doses.

As well as, the amended deal will assist growth of smaller dose vials, pressure choice in keeping with U.S. Meals and Drug Administration (FDA) suggestions, and a “clean transition to the business market,” in line with the corporate.

The transfer additionally signifies that the Biden administration nonetheless seeks to diversify its COVID vaccine arsenal with non-mRNA pictures. Novavax is a protein subunit vaccine, that means that it instantly injects a model of the spike protein of the virus that causes COVID an infection into the physique to stimulate manufacturing of antibodies.

Against this, Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines work by introducing mRNA into the recipient’s muscle cells, which then produce copies of the spike protein to set off an immune response.

“This settlement acknowledges the necessity to supply the American individuals a various COVID-19 vaccine portfolio and underscores the significance of Novavax’s partnership with the U.S. authorities to make sure steady entry to a protein-based choice as a part of public well being measures,” stated John Jacobs, Novavax president and chief government.

In July 2022, the FDA licensed emergency use of Novavax in people 18 years of age and older. In October of that yr, the FDA permitted its use as a booster for many who took mRNA pictures from Pfizer or Moderna as their major vaccination. The U.S. authorities has since purchased 3.2 million doses.

The Biden administration has signaled that it will quickly cease shopping for COVID vaccines, remedies, and diagnostic exams. In response to Dr. Ashish Jha, the White Home COVID response coordinator, the shift would possibly happen as early as this summer season or fall.

“All I can say, as a result of I actually don’t know, we don’t have the particular dates, is that it’s going to occur someday over the summer season into early fall. And also you’ll see that transition, and we’ll sort of give individuals as a lot discover as we are able to probably give,” Jha stated earlier this month throughout a webinar hosted by the College of California, San Francisco.

Japan Discontinues Novavax Deal

Japanese public well being officers, however, have canceled an order of almost 142 million doses of Novavax vaccines, offered within the Asian nation below the model title Nuvaxovid.

In 2021, the Japan authorities agreed to buy 150 million doses of Nuvaxovid manufactured domestically by pharmaceutical big Takeda. In a report filed on Feb. 10 with the U.S. Securities and Change Fee, nonetheless, Takeda stated Japan now not needs to purchase the remaining 141.76 million doses.

“Obtainable doses of Nuvaxovid already provided to the market can nonetheless be used as an choice for people who can not obtain a bivalent omicron mRNA vaccine, or who want to obtain a recombinant protein vaccine,” stated Takeda, which can also be contracted to make and distribute Moderna vaccines in Japan.