Novavax COVID vaccine Nuvaxovid recommended for expanded conditional marketing authorization in EU for adolescents

"This recommendation brings us closer to offering adolescents in the EU the first protein-based COVID-19 vaccine developed using an innovative approach to traditional technology," said Stanley C. Erck, President and Chief Executive Officer, Novavax.

The CHMP recommendation was based on data from the ongoing pediatric expansion of PREVENT-19, a pivotal Phase 3 trial of 2,247 adolescents aged 12 through 17 across 73 sites in the U.S., to evaluate the safety, effectiveness (immunogenicity), and efficacy of Nuvaxovid. In the trial, Nuvaxovid achieved its primary effectiveness endpoint and demonstrated 80% clinical efficacy overall at a time when the Delta variant was the predominant circulating SARS-CoV-2 strain in the U.S.

Preliminary safety data from the trial showed the vaccine to be generally well-tolerated. Serious and severe adverse events were low in number and balanced between vaccine and placebo groups, and not considered related to the vaccine. Local and systemic reactogenicity was generally lower than or similar to adults, after the first and second dose. There was no increase in reactogenicity in younger (12 to <15 years old) adolescents compared to older (15 to <18 years old) adolescents. Fever was seen more frequently in adolescents than in adults. These effects are usually mild or moderate and improve within a few days from the vaccination.

The European Commission (EC) granted CMA for Nuvaxovid to prevent COVID-19 in people 18 years of age and over in December 2021.

In the 12 through 17 year-old population, emergency use authorization has been granted in India.