Health Canada Authorizes Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine

Novavax announced on Feb. 17, 2022 that Health Canada has granted authorization for Nuvaxovid COVID-19 Vaccine for individuals 18 years of age and older. The vaccine provides active immunization to prevent COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2. Nuvaxovid is the first protein-based vaccine to be authorized for use in Canada.

“We are proud that Canada is part of the growing list of regions to authorize Nuvaxovic and that Canadians will have a protein-based COVID-19 vaccine option,” stated Stanley C. Erck, president and chief executive officer of Novavax, in a press release. “We thank the Canadian government and the National Research Council of Canada for their ongoing partnership and commitment to helping combat the evolving pandemic.”

In January 2021, Novavax and the Government of Canada signed an advance purchase agreement for 52 million doses of Novavax’ COVID-19 vaccine, with the option for up to an additional 24 million doses. Novavax also established a memorandum of understanding to produce the vaccine at the National Research Council of Canada’s Biologics Manufacturing Centre in Montréal in February 2021. Production is expected to begin later this year.