Novavax Enters into Agreement with the Commonwealth of Australia for 51 Million Doses of its COVID-19 Vaccine

Novavax announced on Jan. 7, 2021 that it has entered into an advance purchase agreement with the Commonwealth of Australia for 51 million doses of NVX-CoV2373, its COVID-19 vaccine candidate.

Under the terms of the agreement, Novavax will work with Australia’s regulatory agency, the Therapeutics Goods Administration, to acquire product approvals after the vaccine candidate shows efficacy in clinical studies, Novavax said in a company press release. The company plans to deliver initial doses by mid-2021, and Australia will have the option to purchase up to 10 million additional doses through the agreement.

NVX-CoV2373 is currently involved in Phase III clinical trials in the United States, Mexico, and the United Kingdom and a Phase IIb trial in South Africa.

“The continued increase in significant COVID-19 transmission in virtually all parts of the world underscores the need for multiple safe, efficacious vaccines in enormous quantities to stop the pandemic,” said Stanley C. Erck, Novavax president and CEO, in the press release. “We appreciate the confidence of the Australian government and the opportunity to play a role in ensuring that its citizens will have access to a protein-based vaccine that can be distributed using existing distribution channels, should it receive regulatory approval.”

Source: Novavax