Novavax Covid-19 vaccine shows 89 per cent efficacy in UK trials
The Novavax Covid-19 vaccine has shown an 89.3 per cent efficacy in phase three of a clinical trial conducted in the UK.
The UK has ordered 60m doses of the vaccine, which will have to be approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency before being distributed to the public.
So far, more than 7.4m people in the UK have received a first dose of a coronavirus vaccine. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said he would like 15 million people in the UK to have had a first injection by mid-February.
‘Promising’
“The results from the UK trial of Novavax’s vaccine look extremely promising, and I welcome the news that the company is planning to submit its data to the regulators,” Business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said.
“The UK moved quickly to procure 60 million doses from Novavax and I’m pleased to confirm the bulk of the vaccine will be manufactured on Teesside and delivered during this year, if approved for use.”
Novavax’s candidate differs from those currently being used in the UK, combining an engineered protein from the virus that causes Covid-19 with a plant-based ingredient to help generate a stronger immune response.
Health secretary Matt Hancock said: “This is positive news and, if approved by the medicines regulator, the Novavax vaccine will be a significant boost to our vaccination programme and another weapon in our arsenal to beat this awful virus.”
Vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi added: “Having taken part in Novavax’s vaccine trial myself, I am particularly thrilled to see such positive results. I want to thank the thousands of trial volunteers, without whom these results would not have been possible.”
Meanwhile the UK’s medicines regulatory body is reviewing a new “antibody cocktail” that could reduce the risk of death from people most at-risk from coronavirus by 70 per cent, it revealed today.
The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is carrying out advanced tests of bamlanivimab and etesevimab after trials showed “very encouraging” results. If approved they could be rolled out by the NHS to the wider public.
The drugs joins a long list of experimental medicines being trialled in the UK to treat coronavirus.