According to the Blue House and related industries on the 23rd, the government plans to proceed with a contract to purchase 20 million NovaVax vaccines soon. After SK Bioscience signed a vaccine technology transfer contract with NovaVax, the government pre-purchases the quantity produced through it. SK Bioscience is already producing domestically for the volume of contracted development and production (CDMO) with NovaVax in August of last year.
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The NovaVax vaccine is a synthetic antigen vaccine. The manufacturing method is different from the AstraZeneca and Janssen’s virus vector vaccines and the Modena and Pfizer’s mRNA vaccines previously secured by the government. The mRNA vaccine is a method of injecting nucleic acids, such as DNA and RNA, that make up the corona 19 spike protein (antigen) into the body. The vector vaccine induces an immune response by injecting the antigen’s gene into another virus template, such as adenovirus, which is harmless to the human body, and induces an immune response. It is a synthetic and manufactured vaccine. It puts antigen information into baculovirus and infects insect cells (SF9) to produce antigens in large quantities. NovaVax purified this antigen and placed it under specific conditions to create a candidate substance in the form of nanoparticles. It is also a method already used to manufacture vaccines such as cervical cancer and hepatitis B. Daewoo Seol, a professor at Chung-Ang University College of Pharmacy, said, “Novavacs has created antigens, which are the main components of the virus, with a new technology.” Said.
As it is a vaccine that has been used traditionally, its stability is proven. The immune reaction occurs only in the antigenic part necessary for virus defense, minimizing side effects and reducing interference that interferes with the formation of immunity. However, compared to vaccines made with the virus itself, the effect of stimulating the immune response is lower, so in many cases, an immune enhancing agent is administered together.
NovaVax vaccine is administered twice every 21 days. It can be stored and distributed for up to 3 months at 2-8 degrees of refrigeration based on finished products. In the undiluted state, it can be stored for 1 to 2 years. Therefore, it has the advantage that vaccination is easy even in hot countries where cold chains are not properly equipped.
NovaVax vaccine is currently undergoing phase 3 clinical trials. In the phase 1 clinical trial conducted in Australia and the United States, in September last year, the results were announced that the efficacy was verified without serious side effects. Phase 2 clinical trials are ongoing in Australia and South Africa. Phase 3 clinical trials are being conducted sequentially in the United States and Mexico, starting in the UK in September of last year. Interim results for phase 3 clinical trials in the UK are expected to be available in early Q1 2021.
The challenge is that NovaVax’s phase 3 clinical trial may be delayed. The reason is that it is not easy to gather participants in clinical trials as vaccines from competitors such as Pfizer, Moder, and AstraZeneca have already been approved for emergency use. Professor Seol said, “Because the vaccine is being vaccinated, the clinical trial may be difficult because people may want to receive an approved vaccine rather than participate in the clinical trial.” It could be a good option for NovaVax.”