Novavax Announces First Participants in Coronavirus Vaccine Clinical Trial

Novavax, a late-stage biotechnology company located in Gaithersburg, MD, announced on May 25, 2020 that participants have enrolled in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate, NVX‑CoV2373, a prefusion protein made using Novavax’s proprietary nanoparticle technology.

According to a company press release, the Phase 1 portion of the trial is a randomized, observer-blinded, placebo-controlled trial to determine the immunogenicity and safety of the vaccine candidate using a two-dose trial regimen with Matrix‑M and without. The Phase 2 section will take place in several countries and will assess immunity, safety, and the COVID‑19 disease reduction associated with the candidate.

Novavax selected NVX‑CoV2373 as its lead COVID-19 candidate after preclinical testing showed high immunogenicity and high levels of neutralizing antibodies, the press release said.

“Administering our vaccine in the first participants of this clinical trial is a significant achievement, bringing us one step closer toward addressing the fundamental need for a vaccine in the fight against the global COVID‑19 pandemic,” said Stanley C. Erck, president and CEO of Novavax, in the press release. “We look forward to sharing the clinical results in July and, if promising, quickly initiating the Phase 2 portion of the trial.”

Source: Novavax