Novavax Says COVID Shot Effective Against New Variants Eris, XBB.1.5

Novavax has announced that its updated COVID-19 vaccine for the fall season is effective against the budding Eris variant, along with other strains expected to circulate this fall.

The Gaithersburg, Maryland-based company said Tuesday that its shot performed well against the EG.5.1 (also calledEris), XBB.1.16.6, XBB.1.5, XBB.1.16 and XBB.2.3 strains of the virus in animal studies.

“Our data have shown that Novavax's protein-based COVID vaccine induces broadly neutralizing responses against XBB subvariants,” Filip Dubovsky, M.D., who leads research and development at Novavax, said in a statement.

Novavax is likely to seek approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to roll out its new shot ahead of flu season this fall. Its primary competitors in the market – Pfizer and Moderna – have announced similar findings for their shots set to roll out this fall.

Unlike their competitors, Novavax uses a protein-based shot instead of an mRNA vaccine. These shots work by exposing the body to a harmless protein from the virus to help the immune system generate antibodies effective against it.

The CDC projects that one-in-five active COVID-19 cases in America are caused by Eris, making it the most circulating strain in the U.S. as of most recent data from August 19. The Fornax strain (FL.1.5.1) makes up 13.3% of cases, the second most prevalent strain. 

Novavax did not indicate whether their vaccine would be effective against Fornax or the other recently rising strain, BA.2.86, known as Pirola. 

While figures are still significantly lower than previous years, the number of COVID cases are rising in the U.S. The CDC reported 12,613 hospitalizations related to the virus during the week ending Aug. 12, a 21.6% week-over-week jump and the fifth straight week it has increased.