Singapore approves Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine for above 18 age group

Singapore has reportedly approved the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Novavax for those above 18. It is the first non-mRNA vaccine that will be given as a booster shot, as recommended by EC19V (Expert Committee on COVID-19 Vaccination).

Singapore’s HSA (Health Sciences Authority) gave interim approval for Novavax's Nuvaxovid, as a part of the Pandemic Special Access Route (PSAR). Two 5mcg doses of Nuvaxovid will be given three weeks apart as part of the vaccination schedule.

It appears that the vaccine has met quality, safety, and efficacy standards, with the HSA claiming that the benefits would outweigh the risks for Singapore’s population. A couple of professionals from HSA's Medicines Advisory Committee and Panel of Infectious Diseases Experts were also consulted, with both groups agreeing to the HSA's proposal for PSAR authorization.

It is worth noting that the HSA's review was based on 2 phase three clinical trials which were held in Mexico, the United States, and the United Kingdom, consisting of around 40,000 participants aged between 18 to 95. Nuvaxovid was found to have a 90% efficacy rate against symptomatic COVID-19 and a 100% efficacy in reducing severity.

As per HSA, the vaccine showed constant efficacy against the Alpha variant, although there was no data on the Delta and Omicron strains since they were not as prominent at the time when Novavax had completed the clinical trials. 

Unlike the Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty and Moderna vaccines, which are mRNA vaccines, the Novavax vaccine is a protein-based, or protein-subunit jab. Vaccines based on mRNA technology use virus material to train the body's cells to create copies of a virus-specific protein, hence increasing resistance to the virus.

Protein-based vaccinations, on the other hand, comprise viral fragments. The Novavax vaccine allows the immune system to produce antibodies that combat the COVID-19’s spike protein, which the virus uses to enter human cells.

Nuvaxovid's first shipment is slated to arrive in Singapore in the coming weeks, sources claimed.

Source Credits –

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/novavax-covid-19-vaccine-approved-for-those-aged-18-and-above-to-arrive-in-the-next-few-months