January 28, 2021
Pharmaceutical company Novavax announced that its COVID-19 vaccine was 89.3% effective in preventing COVID-19 in its Phase 3 clinical trial in the UK.
Gaithersburg, United States | Novavax
On January 28, 2021, the American biotechnology company Novavax announced promising results from its ongoing Phase 3 clinical trials of its NVX-CoV2373 COVID-19 vaccine candidate. The trial took place in the United Kingdom and revealed that the vaccine had an efficacy of 89.3% in preventing COVID-19.
The UK Phase 3 trial consisted of over 15,000 participants aged between 18 and 84 years, with approximately 27% of participants over the age of 65. The randomized, placebo-controlled, observer-blinded study included a diverse group of volunteers, incorporating varying degrees of risk exposure and health conditions. The primary endpoint of the trial was to determine the vaccine’s efficacy against laboratory-confirmed symptomatic COVID-19 occurring at least seven days after the second dose.
The 89.3% efficacy was determined based on initial cases observed within the trial. Critically, the analysis included assessment against several strains of the virus, as during this period, the UK was experiencing the spread of the B.1.1.7 variant, also known as the Alpha variant, which is deemed more transmissible than the original virus strain.
The Novavax vaccine, based on recombinant nanoparticle technology and adjuvanted with Matrix-M, presented a substantial advance in the global fight against COVID-19, offering a robust protective measure even amid the emergence of new variants. The trial’s outcome was particularly significant as it added another potential tool in the global vaccination arsenal at a time when demand for vaccines far outstripped supply.
Following the positive results from the UK trial, Novavax also conducted trials in other countries, including the United States and South Africa, which would provide further data and necessitate additional analysis specific to different variants and demographics. The announcement reflected broader efforts within the global scientific community to develop, test, and distribute vaccines to control the COVID-19 pandemic, which had claimed millions of lives worldwide by early 2021.
Novavax’s announcement on January 28, 2021, marked an important milestone in the COVID-19 vaccination efforts, showcasing high efficacy and offering hope for greatly expanded immunization strategies moving forward. As one of several vaccine candidates to demonstrate high efficacy against COVID-19, including emerging variants, it underscored the progress in biotechnology and the rapid mobilization of resources and expertise in combating the pandemic.
Source: www.cnbc.com