GSK to support Novavax Covid-19 vaccine production effort
The big pharma will help fill and finish up to 60 million doses of Novavax' coronavirus candidate
GlaxoSmithKline, which recently entered into a partnership with CureVac to develop future mRNA coronavirus vaccines, has reached an agreement in principle with Novavax and the UK Government Vaccines Taskforce to manufacture up to 60 million doses of Novavax’ Covid-19 vaccine candidate (NVX-CoV2373) for UK use.
GSK will provide fill and finish manufacturing capacity—the completion stage of vaccine manufacturing, preparing vials of the final vaccine and packaging them for distribution and use—at its Barnard Castle facility in North East England, beginning as soon as May, with a rapid technology transfer between the two companies beginning immediately. The parties are in the process of negotiating a final agreement that will feature additional terms and conditions.
The protein antigen component of NVX-CoV2373 is also produced in North East England by Novavax’ manufacturing partner, Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies, at its site in Billingham, Stockton-on-Tees.
Officials say that NVX-CoV2373 has demonstrated “strong potential efficacy” in Phase III clinical trials, including against the B.1.1.7 variant circulating in the UK. Submission of the vaccine for review by UK regulatory authorities is expected during Q2.
