Novavax Recombinant Antigen COVID Vaccine Available for Vaccination Starting on the 18th

Supply of Novavax's updated COVID-19 vaccine is set to begin. As it uses a long-verified platform based on the recombinant antigen method, it is highly regarded for its safety. Actual vaccinations are expected to start from the 18th.

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

SK Bioscience, responsible for the domestic distribution and sales of the Novavax vaccine, announced on the 12th that it will supply Novavax's Omicron subvariant (XBB.1.5) targeted monovalent COVID-19 vaccine, 'Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine 2023-2024 Composition,' to medical institutions nationwide.

This follows the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) granted by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety on the 29th of last month at the request of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. Vaccinations and advance reservations using this vaccine will be available from the 18th at nationwide designated medical institutions and public health centers. Vaccinations are free for all age groups 12 and older, and advance reservations can be made through the COVID-19 vaccination website.

The Novavax vaccine is a recombinant antigen vaccine that directly injects antigen proteins produced using genetic recombination technology into the body to induce the production of antibodies that eliminate the virus. Unlike Pfizer and Moderna’s XBB.1.5-targeted vaccines used in previous winter vaccinations, which are based on messenger RNA (mRNA) that expresses antigen proteins to induce immune responses, the Novavax vaccine is expected to be the only recombinant antigen COVID-19 vaccine currently available for vaccination.

SK Bioscience explained, "The recombinant antigen platform has been used for a long time in vaccines for influenza, hepatitis B, and human papillomavirus (HPV), proving its safety. In particular, it can be stored under refrigerated conditions of 2 to 8 degrees Celsius, allowing distribution through existing vaccine logistics networks, and does not require thawing during the vaccination process, making it more convenient to use."

SK Bioscience Andong L-HOUSE exterior. [Photo by SK Bioscience]

The Novavax vaccine has been administered following the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Emergency Use Authorization and European Medicines Agency (EMA) approval in October, and was also listed on the World Health Organization (WHO) Emergency Use Listing (EUL) last month.

Previously, Novavax confirmed immune responses not only to XBB.1.5 but also to XBB 1.16 and XBB 2.3 through non-clinical trials. It also announced that it induced neutralizing antibody responses to newly emerged subvariants BA.2.86, EG.5.1, FL.1.5.1, and XBB.1.16.6, as well as CD4+ T cell responses involved in immunity against EG.5.1 and XBB1.16.6 variants.

Ahn Jae-yong, President of SK Bioscience, said, “As COVID-19 is resurging with the onset of winter, the Novavax vaccine could become a new alternative in national disease control. We will take a proactive role in timely developing and securing necessary vaccines to prevent infectious diseases that threaten the daily lives of our citizens.”