The new Novavax vaccine has proven to be 100% effective in preventing illness and death against the South African and UK variant.
The US based vaccine has shown 96% efficacy following clinical trials in the UK on the original strain of Covid.
Novavax is also 86% effective against the Kent variant which is “twice as deadly” compared to other strains, and 55.4% effective against the South African variant.
The vaccine will be made in Stockton-on-Tees in the UK, and Novavax trial involved 17,600 participants aged between 18 and 84-years old.
The new vaccine has proven to provide 100% protection against severe disease from the original Covid strain, which includes hospitalisation and death.
Stanley Erck, president and COE of Novavax said in a statement on Thursday, “We are very encouraged by the data showing that NVX-CoV2373 not only provided complete protection against the most severe forms of disease, but also dramatically reduced mild and moderate disease across both trials. ‘Importantly, both studies confirmed efficacy against the variant strains.
“Today marks one year since the WHO [World Health Organization] officially declared the Covid pandemic, and with this data in hand, we are even more motivated to advance our vaccine as a potential weapon in the fight to end the suffering caused by Covid.”
The Health Secretary, Matt Hancock wrote on Twitter on Thursday evening, to welcome the “really encouraging” news.
Hancock wrote, “Really encouraging results from @novavax tonight on its efficacy against variants.
“We’ve ordered 60 million doses & if approved by the medicines regulator it will be another boost to the UK’s vaccination rollout as we work to overcome this virus.”
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