Health

US approves Novavax Covid-19 traditional vaccine for adults

Washington, Jul 19 (EFE).- The United States Centers for Disease Control (CDC) on Tuesday approved the use of the Novavax Covid-19 traditional vaccine for adults.

It is hoped it will appeal to people who object to mRNA vaccines.

“Today is another step forward in our nation’s fight against the virus (…) Novavax’s protein-based Covid-19 vaccine for adults has been authorized,” President Joe Biden said in a statement.

“We now have four safe and effective Covid-19 vaccines available to protect Americans against serious illness, hospitalizations, and death.”

The US had already endorsed vaccines from Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson.

Hours earlier, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky had announced that the traditional vaccine is “safe and effective.”

“If you have been waiting for a Covid-19 vaccine built on a different technology than those previously available, now is the time to join the millions of Americans who have been vaccinated,” Walensky said.

“With Covid-19 cases on the rise again across parts of the country, vaccination is critical to help protect against the complications of severe Covid-19 disease.”

Novavax subunit vaccines will be available for use in US hospitals and pharmacies within weeks.

The serum contains ready-made virus spikes and an adjuvant, an ingredient that enhances the immune system’s response. When a person receives the injection, their immune system identifies the virus as “foreign” and produces antibodies against it, preparing it for future contact with the coronavirus.

In comparison, mRNA vaccines such as Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna direct the body to make the spikes to trigger an immune response.

Novavax uses an adjuvant called Matrix-M, which comes from saponins from the bark of the soapbark tree, native to Chile.

In its phase 3 clinical trial before the emergence of the Delta and Omicron variants, the serum was 90.4 percent effective against infection and 100 percent effective against moderate to severe illness.

“Non-clinical data generated to date demonstrate that our Covid-19 vaccine offers broad immune responses including against circulating variants, such as Omicron BA.5,” said Novavax president and chief executive officer Stanley Erck in a statement Tuesday while announcing a manufacturing agreement with SK bioscience for the vaccine “containing Omicron variant.”

The US endorsement comes as authorities call on citizens to get fully vaccinated and receive booster doses amid a rebound in cases due to the spread of Omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5. EFE

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