Taiwan’s FDA is now reportedly assessing Novavax for EUA.
Pace earlier claims on forumosa that we had already had some of this vaccine in Taiwan, this article makes it clear that we don’t, but have requested 2,000,000 doses via the seemingly dormant COVAX platform.
Guy
Is this vaccine any good? I rarely hear anything about its effectiveness.
Novavax is, like Medigen, an old-school protein subunit vaccine. It would be another alternative for folks not comfortable with mRNA technology, which still remains the top contender for effectiveness.
Guy
More details about Novavax posted earlier this month (i.e. May 2022):
The Novavax vaccine (brand names: Nuvaxovid and Covovax) recently applied to the [US’s] FDA for an EUA for its vaccine, which is already authorized for use in many other countries—most recently in Canada—and is shown to be highly effective in clinical trials. This vaccine is a protein adjuvant. It is simpler to make than some of the other vaccines and can be stored in a refrigerator, making it easier to distribute. Novavax has studied its vaccine in combination with the influenza vaccine with positive results.
Status: Novavax submitted an application to the [US’s] FDA for authorization at the end of January for its primary vaccine. The company is studying the safety and effectiveness of a booster.
Who it may be recommended for: Novavax is asking for an EUA for adults 18 and older. The company is studying the vaccine in children and teenagers ages 12 to 17.
Dosage: 2 doses, three weeks apart
Possible side effects : Injection site tenderness, fatigue, headache, muscle pain.
How it works: Unlike the mRNA and vector vaccines, this is a protein adjuvant (an adjuvant is an ingredient used to strengthen the immune response). While other vaccines trick the body’s cells into creating parts of the virus that can trigger the immune system, the Novavax vaccine takes a different approach. It contains the spike protein of the coronavirus itself, but formulated as a nanoparticle, which cannot cause disease. When the vaccine is injected, this stimulates the immune system to produce antibodies and T-cell immune responses.
How well it works : 90% effective against lab-confirmed, symptomatic infection and 100% against moderate and severe disease in Phase 3 trial results released. Phase 3 clinical trial results were published in The New England Journal of Medicine in December [2021].
How well it works on virus variants: Novavax says its vaccine can generate an immune response against Omicron, but scientists are still learning about this. One study [in 2021], from University of Oxford, showed Novavax to be an effective booster vaccine against the variant following the primary series of other vaccines.
Source: Comparing the COVID-19 Vaccines: How Are They Different? | News | Yale Medicine
Guy
Fool me once
Those are not my words, btw; as I made clear, it’s from Yale Medicine, which in turn provides a hyperlink.
It’s from the New England Journal of Medicine, in which these results reportedly appeared. They are from 2021, so who knows how they would now apply to omicron, again as acknowledged clearly in the quoted parts above.
Guy
There is a lot of demand from older people because side effects are mild and effectiveness is high. A lot have doubts about medigen , which to be honest are reasonable
As much as Medigen has had a lukewarm reception, does anyone remember that other locally produced vaccine United Biomedical? Yeeeaaaah… that got memory-holed quick when trials didn’t go well.
I think it was the initial AZ side effects that frightened many off.
Yeah. Taiwanese are scared of everything as well. Many people had bad reaction from the mRNA shots.
I expect a good take up of Novavax
They are still trying. I think it’s fine as most global vaccine candidate didn’t make the grade
Also all participants in phase 3 trial of Medigen have received their shots
If it shows up. COVAX seems to be sleep walking right now.
Guy
Of potential interest to some parents in Taiwan. Following inspection and testing, the earliest rollout for these newly acquired vaccines is expected to be May 20.
Guy
For those with young family members, how many of the child’s classmates got the Moderna jab? My nephew said only about 4 of the twenty odd students got it in his class. Half the class got Omicron the next week.
Running team at daughter’s school, four out of 17 signed up to take it.
About the same ratio. I wonder if they are waiting for BNT or aren’t interested. Most of them will likely contract it before the BNT is released anyways.
A lot doing that
Vaers data was not included this time, see infographic from a few days ago
I am not sure if this has been posted in other threads, but here it is in the vaccine in Taiwan thread: Novavax received EUA from the health authorities in Taiwan on Friday, clearing the way for its use locally, if and when it finally arrives.
Guy
