FDA approves new updated version of COVID vaccine

Novavax's updated COVID vaccine has been granted emergency use authorization by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).The latest version of the vaccine has been updated to include the spike protein from the XBB.1.5 Omicron variant.

This announcement by FDA paves the way for people to start receiving the vaccine at pharmacies and doctor's offices. The updated vaccine addresses currently circulating variants to provide better protection against serious consequences of COVID-19, including hospitalization and death. Consistent with the totality of the evidence and input from the FDA’s expert advisors, the Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine, Adjuvanted, a monovalent vaccine, has been updated to include the spike protein from the SARS-CoV-2 omicron variant lineage XBB.1.5 (2023-2024 formula).

This authorization follows the FDA’s recent approvals and authorizations of updated mRNA COVID-19 vaccines for 2023-2024 manufactured by ModernaTX Inc. and Pfizer Inc.

The FDA evaluated manufacturing data to support the change to the 2023-2024 formula of the Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine, Adjuvanted. Additionally, the FDA evaluated non-clinical immune response data suggesting that the vaccine provides protection against the currently circulating COVID-19 variants. The agency also relied on its evaluation of safety and effectiveness data from clinical trials of Novavax COVID-19, Vaccine, Adjuvanted (Original monovalent) and investigational monovalent and bivalent Novavax COVID-19 adjuvanted vaccines, as well as postmarketing data.