Another vaccine has reached our shores, marking the fourth vaccine to be approved for use in Singapore.
Novavax Vaccine Approved
Just this morning, the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Novavax was approved for individuals here aged 18 and above, said the Health Sciences Authority (HSA).
HSA granted an interim authorisation under the Pandemic Special Access Route (PSAR) for Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine ‘Nuvaxovid’ on 3 February.
The vaccination regimen comprises two five-microgram doses of Nuvaxovid to be administered three weeks apart.
The first batch of Nuvaxovid is expected to arrive in Singapore in the next few months.
HSA said it has reviewed that the vaccine “meets the quality, safety and efficacy standards” and that the benefits outweigh the risks for the Singapore population.
Two groups of experts from HSA’s Medicines Advisory Committee and Panel of Infectious Diseases Experts were also consulted and they agreed with HSA’s recommendation for PSAR authorisation.
Evaluation of Safety and Efficacy
HSA’s clinical review was based on two Phase 3 clinical studies conducted in the USA, Mexico and the UK, comprising more than 40,000 participants aged between 18 and 95 years.
The results showed that Nuvaxovid demonstrated a vaccine efficacy of approximately 90% against symptomatic COVID-19 and 100% in preventing severe COVID-19.
It showed consistent efficacy against the Alpha variant, but there was no data on the Delta and Omicron variants, as these variants were not prevalent at the time Novavax conducted the clinical trials.
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Some common side effects that vaccine recipients may experience include injection site pain and/or tenderness, fatigue, headache and muscle pain. These are part of the body’s natural response to build immunity to the virus, HSA said.
Based on the data accrued from the clinical trials to-date, the safety profile of Nuvaxovid was generally consistent with other registered vaccines in Singapore, namely Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty and Moderna.
But what sets them apart?
Non-mRNA vs mRNA Vaccine
Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty and Moderna vaccines are mRNA vaccines while the Novavax vaccine is a protein-based vaccine. Haven’t touched Biology in a while? No problem.
An mRNA vaccine basically means genetic information of the virus is inserted into the body in order for the body to create proteins which specifically target the virus, thus building up resistance to it.
On the other hand, a protein-based vaccine includes pieces of the virus. When a person is vaccinated with them, their body recognises that there is a foreign particle inside and creates antibodies to fight it.
So if you are keen to try this new vaccine, stay tuned as it gradually arrives in local clinics.
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