The Commission has announced that it is formally granting a conditional marketing authorization for the European Union market for Novavax's Nuvaxovid vaccine, following a recommendation from the European Medicines Agency (Coreper) that the new vaccine against COVID-19 It is safe and effective even after the green light from the Member States.
Commissioner Stella Kyriakidou stressed that this is the first vaccine in the EU portfolio and the first protein-based vaccine that seems to have promising results against the coronavirus.
"Vaccination and boosting doses to increase protection against it COVID-19 "Today they are more important than ever if we are to stop the wave of infections and deal with the emergence and spread of new variants," said Commissioner Kyriakidou.
As he underlined, today the European Union offers another safe and effective vaccine, while addressing a new call for vaccination.
According to the Commission's contract with Novavax, signed on 4 August this year, the company can deliver up to 100 million installments to the EU in the first quarter of 2022, while Member States have the option to purchase an additional 100 million installments in the two years 2022 and 2023.
The first installments are expected to reach the Member States in the first months of 2022, with Member States having ordered 27 million installments for the first quarter of the year.
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she was particularly pleased with the approval of the new vaccine at this time, as the Omicron variant is spreading rapidly and an increase in vaccinations is becoming even more necessary.
"This is the fifth safe and effective vaccine in our portfolio, which offers additional protection to Europe's citizens against the pandemic," said von der Leyen.
"May this licensing be a strong incentive for all those who have not yet been vaccinated or who have not yet received a booster dose to do so now," he added.