Novavax has launched a Phase I/II study evaluating a combination vaccine for the prevention of both COVID-19 and seasonal influenza, the US biotech company announced today.
The study will evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of a combination vaccine, using Novavax’s flu and COVID-19 vaccines.
The trial combines the company’s recombinant protein-based COVID-19 jab NVX-CoV2372 and NanoFlu vaccine candidates with Novavax’s Matrix-M adjuvant into a single formulation.
The trial will aim to enrol 640 healthy adults, aged 50- to 70-years-old, who will have been either previously infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus or vaccinated with an authorised vaccine at least eight weeks prior to enrolment.
“This study is the first-of-its-kind to evaluate the vaccine’s potential to induce a robust immune response, augmented by our Matrix-M adjuvant, against two life-threatening diseases simultaneously,” said Gregory M. Glenn, president of research and development, Novavax.
“The combination of these two vaccines, which have individually delivered outstanding results with favourable safety and tolerability profiles, may lead to greater efficiencies for the healthcare system and achieve high levels of protection against COVID-19 and influenza with a single regimen,” he added.
Novavax is expecting results from the trial during the first half of 2022, the company said in a statement.
