Novavax has signed a contract to sell 1.1 billion doses of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate to Covax, the initiative co-led by the World Health Organization to accelerate the development of COVID-19 vaccines and ensure fair access for every country.
The company didn't release the financial details of the contract. It also didn't set a time frame for when it would sell the vaccines to Covax, as its vaccine candidate has not been authorized by any government regulatory body.
Novavax, a Gaithersburg, Md., based vaccine developer, said Feb. 18 that the vaccines will be manufactured and distributed globally by Novavax and the Serum Institute of India. The vaccine is currently in phase 3 clinical trials in the U.S., Mexico and the U.K.
Novavax said in late January that its vaccine was 89.3 percent effective at preventing COVID-19 infection in a phase 3 trial conducted in the U.K. The trial showed the vaccine candidate was 95.6 percent effective against the original virus strain and 85.6 percent effective against a variant of the virus first detected in the U.K., called B.1.1.7.
Covax is co-led by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance — an organization created by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to improve access to vaccines for the world's poorest countries — the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness and the WHO.
"This agreement brings the Covax Facility one step closer to its goal of supplying vaccines globally and ending the acute phase of the pandemic," said Dr. Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi, in a news release. "It helps us close in on our goal of delivering two billion doses in 2021 and increases the range of vaccines available to us as we build a portfolio suitable for all settings and contexts."
Read the full news release here.
More articles on pharmacy:
Pfizer vaccine highly effective after 1st dose, can be stored at higher temperature, study finds
Pfizer starts testing COVID-19 vaccine in pregnant women
Judge dismisses suit accusing HHS of letting drugmakers skirt 340B rules