US FDA Authorizes Emergency Use for Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine for aged 12 to 17 years

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Novavax for emergency use in teenagers between the ages of 12 to 17 years. Besides the emergency use authorisation, the COVID-19 vaccine will also be offered as a two-dose primary series for US teenagers.

This authorization is considered to be the fourth COVID-19 vaccine to be made accessible in the United States, which is making use of protein-based technologies in contrast to the other three vaccines. The US FDA has granted emergency clearance for the two-dose COVID-19 vaccination of Novavax for people aged 18 years and above in July 2022.

Stanley C. Erck, president and CEO of Novavax, said that having more adult and child vaccine options will help increase vaccination rates, specifically as they prepare for ongoing surges of COVID-19 with the beginning of fall.

According to an announcement from Novavax, from the beginning of July 2022, its COVID-19 vaccine has demonstrated a broad immunological response to the circulating variants like Omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5.

According to Novavax, one of the things that companies believe makes their vaccine more unique is that they actually see really good immune responses against the COVID-19 variants with their prototype vaccine.