Novavax breakthrough: Lauterbach names start date for "quasi dead vaccine" - "should work well"

Created: 01/18/2022 05:12

By: Felix Durach

Novavax's protein-based corona vaccine is highly anticipated.

CEO Erck has now announced 69 million doses for the EU in the first half of the year.

Berlin - The vaccine from the US pharmaceutical company Novavax was the fifth corona vaccine ever to be approved by the European Medicines Agency EMA at the end of last year. Unlike the previously approved mRNA vaccines from Moderna and Biontech or the vector vaccines from AstraZeneca and Johnson&Johnson, the vaccine is based on proteins. It consists of virus-like particles against which the immune system builds up specific antibodies and T-cells after the vaccination.

Novavax CEO Stanley Erck announced at the "JP Morgan Healthcare Conference": The first doses of the vaccine will be delivered shortly

Novavax available soon: The vaccine for vaccine skeptics?

Erck expects a "very busy and productive year" for the group, as reported by the

. Even if the Novavax vaccine comes onto the market more than a year after the mRNA vaccines, the CEO still sees great potential for his own product. Erck expects that around twelve billion doses of vaccine will be needed worldwide in the near future. Almost five billion in the industrialized countries alone. An enormous need that Novavax wants to cover, especially among vaccine skeptics.

The background: Due to the different approach compared to the more recent mRNA technology, the vaccine from Novavax is also seen as an alternative for those who have been skeptical about vaccination up to now.

Even if Novavax is not a dead vaccine in the classic sense.

Novavax: EU receives 69 million doses in the first half of the year - four million for Germany

So far, the group has concluded supply contracts for two billion doses of vaccine, some of which still have to be produced and delivered, it said.

Erck announced that the contracts will be able to be fulfilled, even if the company has repeatedly struggled with production problems in recent weeks.

The Gavi and Covax vaccine initiatives have secured about half of the doses for use in poorer countries.

In turn, 600 million doses are to be delivered to the industrialized countries.

The EU also signed contracts with Novavax last August and can now expect around 69 million doses in the first two quarters of the new year.

Further deliveries up to 2023 should also be possible.

For Germany, 4 million cans are initially planned, which could be delivered as early as January.

"Quasi a dead vaccine": Lauterbach names the start date for Germany - "Should work well"

Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) was a little more cautious on Friday: the first delivery of 1.75 million doses should be available from February 21, he said. Exact dates for another 3.25 million doses that have been purchased have not yet been determined. He hopes for delivery in February. Lauterbach explained that the preparation, which is "quasi an inactivated vaccine", should be particularly available to those who prefer this type of vaccination. He himself could not assess the value of the Omicron variant well. But he assumes that the vaccine should work well. Vaccinations with it would be recommended.

The vaccine can then only be given to people over the age of 18.

However, the group is currently working on studies with twelve to 17 year olds in order to obtain approval for this age group as well.

According to CEO Erck, various laboratory studies have shown a significant increase in antibody levels even in the case of virus mutations when the subjects have received a booster vaccination with the Novavax vaccine.