Following FDA COVID vaccine advisory panel vote, Novavax is prepared to provide a revised vaccine

Novavax has said that it expects its Covid-19 vaccine to remain an important part of the country’s immunization plan, as regulators work to develop a long-term strategy to protect the public from the virus. This comes after a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory committee voted unanimously to swap in the bivalent shots now used as boosters for the vaccines given for primary series, which are based on the original virus and not tailored to specific variants. Novavax showed data that the company’s existing protein-based shot, when used as a booster, elicits a strong immune response even against new variants, even though its product doesn’t specifically target the new variants.  However, the company is also prepared to deliver an updated vaccine following FDA guidance on strain change. The process of making a new, variant-specific vaccine would take about six months but cannot compete on speed with mRNA. But a company spokesperson stated that ensuring the availability and accessibility of various vaccine options should be a central focus in any strategy aimed at safeguarding public health against Covid-19.