Novavax's Malaria Vaccine Gets WHO Prequalification, Has Potential Of Being An Affordable Option

Novavax Inc NVAX announced that peer-reviewed results from a Phase 3 efficacy trial of the R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine were published in The Lancet on Friday. 

The trial was conducted across multiple sites in four African countries with 4,800 children aged 5-36 months.

Data from this trial served as the basis for the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recent prequalification of the R21/Matrix-M vaccine, paving the way for a global rollout expected to commence in mid-2024 by Serum Institute of India. 

The publication reported: 

• In areas with highly seasonal malaria transmission (where malaria transmission is largely limited to four or five months per year), the R21/Matrix-M vaccine was shown to reduce symptomatic malaria cases by 75% during the 12 months following a three-dose series. 
•  Efficacy of 68% when administered in an age-based schedule in regions where malaria is present perennially during the 12 months following the first three doses. 
•  The most common adverse events with the vaccine were fever (47%) and injection site pain (19%).  

Developed by the University of Oxford and Serum Institute of India, the vaccine contains Novavax’s saponin-based Matrix-M adjuvant. 

The R21/Matrix-M vaccine is one of several collaborations involving Novavax’s adjuvant technology, including additional research in malaria and other infectious diseases in humans and animals.  

According to the most current WHO data, almost 250 million cases of malaria were reported globally in 2022, causing upwards of 609,000 deaths. 

The R21 vaccine stands out from GSK’s vaccine due to its affordability at approximately $3 per dose and greater accessibility, with 25 million doses already manufactured by Serum for the current year. 

“There is no capacity issue, and we will provide further updates in three to four months as more countries express demand,” Reuters noted, citing an email from Serum’s CEO Adar Poonawalla.

GSK Plc’s GSK vaccine has only 18 million doses available until 2026. Additionally, the R21 shot contains an immune-boosting adjuvant from Novavax.

Price Action: NVAX shares are down 3.26% at $3.88 on the last check Friday.

Photo by Wolfgang Hasselmann on Unsplash