Novavax: This is known about the rare side effects

Created: 02/11/2022 05:17

By: Martina Lippl

Who should be vaccinated with the Novavax Corona vaccine?

© Tomislav Miletic/imago

The Novavax vaccine is a completely new type of corona vaccine.

Who Should Opt for the Protein Vaccine?

What is known so far about the side effects.

Munich – The new corona vaccine from Novavax is available in Germany in mid-February.

There are already waiting lists for vaccination appointments in various federal states for the vaccine called Nuvaxovid.

The vaccine is a so-called protein vaccine - works similar to many flu vaccines.

Those who don't want an mRNA vaccine now have an alternative.

Novavax vaccine needs boosters

However, the protein vaccine from Novavax needs an effect enhancer, so-called adjuvants, to boost the immune response in the body.

Novavax uses a saponin enhancer.

The saponins are made from an extract of a soap tree and have been used in vaccines for 40 years.

The US manufacturer uses them in the form of nanoparticles.

Novavax developed the saponin-based adjuvant "Matrix-M1" itself and has not yet been approved for any other vaccine.

What is known about the side effects of Novavax so far

Nuvaxovid is just getting started.

So far, only data from the approval study (with almost 45,000 test persons) is available on side effects and tolerability of the Novavax vaccine.

Potentially problematic side effects may not become apparent until many different people have received the vaccine in their arms.

Thrombosis, or myocarditis, occurred with Biontech/Pfizer's mRNA vaccines and Astrazeneca's and Johnson & Johnson's vector vaccines only after millions of people had been vaccinated.

After approval, international authorities therefore monitor very closely whether very rare side effects actually occur in connection with the corona vaccine or whether it is just a coincidence.

In Germany, the Paul Ehrlich Institute (PEI) regularly publishes safety reports.

Side Effects of Novavax Vaccine

In the studies, the Novavax vaccine was well tolerated.

According to the data, there were no serious side effects.

Vaccination reactions of Nuvaxovid by Novavax

After a Novavax vaccination, the usual most frequent vaccination reactions, such as pain at the injection site, headache, muscle and joint pain or tiredness, occurred.

These usually subside in a few days.

With the Novavax preparation, the first protein-based vaccine against Covid-19 can be administered in the EU.

© JUSTIN TALLIS/afp

Dangerous side effect: who should not get vaccinated with Novavax

However, for certain people, such as those with allergies, the Novavax vaccine can be dangerous.

It can trigger a strong allergic reaction.

There is a risk of anaphylaxis, warns allergy expert Klimek.

The Novavax vaccine contains polysorbate 80, explains the President of the Medical Association of German Allergists (AEDA), Professor Dr.

Ludger Klimek at

.

Polysorbate 80 is also included in the vector vaccines from Johnson & Johnson and Astrazeneca.

It's not processed in Moderna's and BioNTech's RNA vaccines, Klimek points out.

Since polysorbate 80 has sometimes led to allergic reactions, the physician calculates “that there will also be patients who have an allergic reaction to the Novavax vaccine.” The allergist recommends: “Patients with a polysorbate 80 allergy should be careful with this vaccine , or they should not be vaccinated with Nuvaxovid.”

Are active enhancers (adjuvants) in the Novavax vaccine an allergy risk?

Allergic reactions to the enhancer in the Novavax vaccine have rarely been observed, says AEDA boss Dr.

Ludger Klimek.

"We expect that the Adjuvansmatrix-M can also lead to intolerance reactions."

If an allergy is suspected, a special antigen test before each vaccination is useful.

According to Klimek, even those who have already had an allergic reaction to a drug should have it tested.

Allergy sufferers should be able to select an individually most suitable vaccine.

“That is the important thing.

Not so much whether it is an inactivated vaccine, protein vaccine, vector vaccine or RNA vaccine, but whether this vaccine can cause a problem for my immune system as an allergy sufferer,” says Klimek.

Who can be vaccinated with Novavax?

Novavax is approved from the age of 18.

Two Novavax doses are currently provided for complete vaccination protection.

How effective Novavax is against omicron is initially unclear.

The effectiveness for protection against symptomatic infections was given by the EU medicines authority EMA at around 90 percent.

Novavax vaccine: virologist is surprised and also talks about possible side effects