US expert panel gives go-ahead to Novavax Covid vaccine
Apanel of experts in the US has given a go ahead for Novavax Covid vaccine. The panel was convened by US drug regulator. Although a late runner in global combat against Covid, Novavax can help efforts to overcome vaccine hesitancy.
Right now, three vaccine have approval in the US; Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson.
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Experts in the panel voted 21 in favour of Novavax vaccine. There was one abstention and no vote against the vaccine. There have been concerns that Novavax vaccine is linked to rare cases of heart inflammation.
It is expected that US Food and Drug Administration will issue emergency authorisation soon. Then another agency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, will weigh in with guidance on how it should best be used.
Maryland-based Novavax was an early frontrunner in the global vaccine race, but 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 EU, UK, Canada, Australia are among many that have already given it the green light.
The vaccine is based on lab-grown viral proteins. Officials are hoping that Novavax will help people overcome vaccine hesitancy. The vaccine does not need cold storage requirements as Pfizer and Moerna vaccines do.
Possible myocarditis link
Novavax’s vaccine was found to be more than 90 percent effective against symptomatic cases of the disease. But its trial was conducted long before the currently circulating sub variants of Omicron were dominant, and the company may yet have to add a booster or update its shot.
What’s more, six cases of myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle, were detected in the group that received the vaccine, against one case in the placebo group, in a trial of around 40,000 people.
Novavax says there is insufficient evidence to establish a causal relationship between the cases of myocarditis and the vaccine.
(With inputs from agencies)
