Nuvaxovid, made from a more conventional technology than others already approved, is likely to help persuade those hesitant about vaccination to come forward
Representational image. AFP
On Tuesday, the World Health Organization approved a COVID-19 vaccine made by United States pharma giant Novavax for emergency use, after the European Union medicines regulator gave it the green light.
Nuvaxovid, which is a two-shot jab against the virus, is the tenth COVID-19 vaccine issued an emergency use listing (EUL) by the UN health agency.
Here’s what we know about this US vaccine, its efficacy and the side effects.
Nuvaxovid
Nuvaxovid, made by Novavax, is made from a more conventional technology than others already approved. The jab uses a traditional technology involving proteins found on coronavirus spike proteins that trigger an immune response.
Basically, the two-dose vaccine works by introducing a protein that prompts an antibody response, which blocks the ability of future coronavirus to bind to human cells and prevents infection. The protein is combined with Novavax’s Matrix-M adjuvant, which is important in enhancing the immune response elicited by the protein antigen.
It is a tried and tested approach, used for decades to vaccinate people against diseases including hepatitis B and whooping cough.
MarkAlain Dery, an infectious disease doctor in New Orleans, speaking to Vice News explained that this new vaccine would help in getting over the vaccine hesitation. For instance, many are opposed to COVID-19 vaccines, citing that the mRNA vaxes will “change our DNA,” or cause infertility.
As Dery explains: “For vaccine hesitant folks, Novavax eliminates the argument that this was developed ‘too quickly’.”
WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunisation recommended the new vaccine for use in people over the age of 18, with an interval of three to four weeks between the two doses.
“The vaccine should not be administered with an interval of less than three weeks,” it warned.
It can be kept at refrigerated temperatures between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius, giving it a logistical advantage in difficult-to-access regions over the mRNA vaccines, which must be stored at ultra-low temperatures.
How effective is it?
The Novavax vaccine was shown to be 90.4 percent effective overall, with 100 percent efficacy against moderate and severe cases of COVID-19 , according to the company.
That puts Novavax on par with the two-shot Pfizer (95 percent) and Moderna (94 percent) vaccines and more effective than the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which was 66 percent effective in clinical trials.
WHO said Nuvaxovid was around 90 percent effective at reducing symptomatic cases of COVID-19 in two major clinical studies, one in Britain and the other in the United States and Mexico, involving more than 45,000 people.
The company added that the vaccine is 93.2 percent effective against circulating “variants of concern” and “variants of interest.”
Are there any side effects to taking Novavax?
Novavax’s side effects are relatively mild and similar to commonly reported side effects for Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson.
The most common side effects reported in Novavax’s trials were injection site pain and tenderness lasting less than three days, as well as fatigue, headache and muscle pain lasting less than two days.
The WHO said that individuals with a history of anaphylaxis to any component of the vaccine should not take it.
The UN health agency also said that Novavax was safe for pregnant women or those breastfeeding.
With inputs from agencies
Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News,
India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.