Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine's Positive Benefit - Risk Assessment Confirmed

The journal Vaccines recently published a Short Communication that presented a benefit–risk assessment for the Novavax COVID-19 protein-based vaccine (NVX-CoV2373).

Published on March 16, 2024, this analysis used data on myocarditis/pericarditis cases observed in the NVX-CoV2373 clinical studies, real-world data of mRNA COVID vaccine effectiveness against predominant SARS-CoV-2 strains in early 2023, and recent COVID-19 burden of disease data from the U.S.

The benefits of NVX-CoV2373 vaccination were estimated as the number of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths prevented. The risks of myocarditis/pericarditis cases and related hospitalizations and deaths occurring within seven days of vaccination were also estimated.

In our analysis, vaccination with NVX-CoV2373, per 100,000 vaccinated, prevented an estimated 1805 COVID-19 cases, compared with an estimated 5.3 excess myocarditis/pericarditis cases.

The number of COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths prevented were also greater than vaccine-associated myocarditis/pericarditis hospitalizations and deaths.

Our analysis indicates a positive benefit–risk balance for NVX-CoV2373, concluded these researchers.

In October 2023, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration amended the EUA of the Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine, Adjuvanted (Nuvaxovid™ XBB.1.5) for use in individuals 12 and older, to include the 2023-2024 formula. 

In the U.S., the current Novavax COVID‑19 Vaccine is available at certain pharmacies, including Costco, CVS Pharmacy, Giant, Publix, Rite Aid, and Stop & Shop.