November 2020

GAITHERSBURG, Md., Nov. 30, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Novavax, Inc. (Nasdaq: NVAX), a late-stage biotechnology company developing next-generation vaccines for serious infectious diseases, today provided an update on its COVID-19 vaccine program. NVX‑CoV2373 is a stable, prefusion protein antigen derived from the genetic sequence of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus spike (S) protein and adjuvanted with Novavax’ proprietary Matrix‑M™.

“Novavax is in a leading position to significantly contribute to the need for safe and efficacious vaccines that will ultimately end the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic,” said Stanley C. Erck, President and Chief Executive Officer, Novavax. “We continue to make meaningful progress as we work to test, manufacture and ultimately deliver NVX-CoV2373 with unprecedented speed, as well as put partnerships in place that would ensure widespread and equitable access worldwide.”

Two of the three planned late-stage efficacy trials for NVX-CoV2373 sponsored by Novavax are fully enrolled, and more than 20,000 participants have been dosed to-date. The primary efficacy endpoints for these trials have been harmonized and reviewed by global regulatory agencies in order to facilitate regulatory approval and ensure that the results are generalizable across global populations. In alignment with Novavax’ commitment to transparency, Phase 3 clinical trial protocols are posted to the company’s website at Novavax.com/resources upon finalization.

United Kingdom (U.K.) pivotal Phase 3 trial update

Novavax completed enrollment of 15,000 participants in a pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial being conducted in the U.K. to determine efficacy and safety of NVX-CoV2373. The U.K. Vaccines Taskforce and National Institute for Health Research played pivotal roles in the rapid recruitment and enrollment of volunteers.

Interim data in this event-driven trial are expected as soon as early first quarter 2021, although the timing depends on the overall COVID-19 rate in the region. These data are expected to serve as the basis for licensure application in the U.K., European Union and other countries. More than 25 percent of enrollees in the trial are over the age of 65, while a large proportion of volunteers had underlying co-morbid medical conditions generally representative of the population.

South Africa Phase 2b trial update

The Phase 2b trial taking place in South Africa to evaluate safety and provide an early indication of efficacy is now fully enrolled. A total of 4,422 volunteers are taking part in the trial, which includes 245 medically stable, HIV-positive participants.

This trial is expected to increase the body of efficacy data of NVX-CoV2373 in racially and geographically diverse populations as well as in older adults. As in the U.K., availability of efficacy data depends on the illness rate in South Africa and may be available as soon as the first quarter 2021. The trial is being conducted in collaboration with Professor Shabir Mahdi and Wits University and is funded in part by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) funded the manufacturing of doses of NVX-CoV2373 for this Phase 2b clinical trial.

U.S./Mexico pivotal Phase 3 trial update

Novavax expects its pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial in the United States and Mexico to begin in the coming weeks. More than 100 trial sites have been selected with some alternate sites in place, should they be needed.

Preliminary blinded data on NVX-CoV2373 in older adults needed to proceed to Phase 3 has previously been positively reviewed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Additional clinical data from the Phase 2 trial conducted in the U.S. and Australia are expected to be unblinded in Q1 and will be targeted for publication.

Novavax will use vaccine material produced at commercial scale for this trial. Therefore, the Company has been working closely with the FDA to complete trial-initiation gating activities related to its commercial-scale production at FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.

Novavax was awarded $1.6 billion in funding from the U.S. government to meet its Operation Warp Speed goals to expedite the delivery of millions of doses of safe, effective vaccines for COVID-19. The award is funding the U.S. and Mexico pivotal Phase 3 trial and manufacturing scale-up.

About NVX-CoV2373
NVX-CoV2373 is a protein-based vaccine candidate engineered from the genetic sequence of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 disease. NVX-CoV2373 was created using Novavax’ recombinant nanoparticle technology to generate antigen derived from the coronavirus spike (S) protein adjuvanted with Novavax’ patented saponin-based Matrix-M™ to enhance the immune response and stimulate high levels of neutralizing antibodies. NVX-CoV2373 contains purified protein antigen and can neither replicate, nor can it cause COVID-19. In preclinical studies, NVX-CoV2373 induced antibodies that block binding of spike protein to cellular receptors and provided protection from infection and disease. NVX-CoV2373 was generally well-tolerated and elicited robust antibody responses numerically superior to that seen in human convalescent sera in Phase 1/2 clinical testing. NVX-CoV2373 is being evaluated in a Phase 3 trial in the U.K. and two ongoing Phase 2 studies that began in August: a Phase 2b trial in South Africa, and a Phase 1/2 continuation in the U.S. and Australia. Novavax has secured $2 billion in funding for its global coronavirus vaccine program, including up to $399 million in funding from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and more than $1.6 billion from the U.S. Government’s Operation Warp Speed program.

About Novavax
Novavax, Inc. (Nasdaq: NVAX) is a late-stage biotechnology company that promotes improved health globally through the discovery, development, and commercialization of innovative vaccines to prevent serious infectious diseases. Novavax is undertaking clinical trials for NVX-CoV2373, its vaccine candidate against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. NanoFlu™, its quadrivalent influenza nanoparticle vaccine, met all primary objectives in its pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial in older adults. Both vaccine candidates incorporate Novavax’ proprietary saponin-based Matrix-M™ adjuvant to enhance the immune response and stimulate high levels of neutralizing antibodies. Novavax is a leading innovator of recombinant vaccines; its proprietary recombinant technology platform combines the power and speed of genetic engineering to efficiently produce highly immunogenic nanoparticles in order to address urgent global health needs.

For more information, visit www.novavax.com and connect with us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Novavax Forward Looking Statements

Statements herein relating to the future of Novavax and the ongoing development of its vaccine and adjuvant products are forward-looking statements. Novavax cautions that these forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. These risks and uncertainties include those identified under the heading “Risk Factors” in the Novavax Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended September 30, 2020, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). We caution investors not to place considerable reliance on forward-looking statements contained in this press release. You are encouraged to read our filings with the SEC, available at sec.gov, for a discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements in this press release speak only as of the date of this document, and we undertake no obligation to update or revise any of the statements. Our business is subject to substantial risks and uncertainties, including those referenced above. Investors, potential investors, and others should give careful consideration to these risks and uncertainties.

Contacts:
Investors
Erika Trahan ir@novavax.com
240-268-2022

Media
Edna Kaplan media@novavax.com
617-974-8659

Source: Novavax, Inc.

GAITHERSBURG, Md., Nov. 25, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Altimmune, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALT), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company advancing proprietary intranasal vaccines and peptide therapeutics, today announced that it has submitted an Investigational New Drug (IND) application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to commence a Phase 1 clinical study of its single-dose intranasal COVID-19 vaccine candidate, AdCOVID. AdCOVID is designed to stimulate a broad immune response including both systemic immunity (neutralizing antibody) and local immunity (mucosal IgA and resident memory T cells) in the nasal cavity and respiratory tract.

“We’ve made exceptional progress advancing AdCOVID and are on track to begin a Phase 1 clinical study this year, with a data readout anticipated in the first quarter of 2021,” said Vipin K. Garg, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Altimmune. “While the progress being reported with current vaccines is very encouraging, many in the scientific and medical communities agree that there is continued need for next-generation vaccines that offer significant enhancements. AdCOVID has the potential to provide many benefits not offered by current vaccines, including simple intranasal administration (particularly well-suited for use in children), the ability to be transported at room temperature and conveniently stored in refrigerators for years, and the stimulation of nasal mucosal immunity with the potential to provide sterilizing immunity and block transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. In addition to testing in adults, our IND included a preliminary proposal for evaluation of children as young as 2 years of age, and we look forward to further discussions around our pediatric program with the FDA in the near future.”

“It’s not widely known or appreciated that nasal mucosal immunity may be essential in preventing the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus to other individuals by stopping replication and transmission of the virus at the site of infection – the nose and respiratory tract,” said Frances E. Lund, the Charles H. McCauley Professor and Chair for the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Department of Microbiology. “Several recent studies have shown that in the absence of mucosal immunity, the nasal cavity may become a reservoir for the coronavirus, particularly in children, potentially allowing for disease transmission even after an intramuscular vaccination. A vaccine that prevents transmission by children would allow them to return to school and their parents to return to work. We are excited to collaborate with Altimmune on the advancement of this important next-generation vaccine and look forward to seeing data from the upcoming clinical study.”

In a recent pre-IND meeting, the FDA agreed to the overall Phase 1 study design and patient population, as well as plans for manufacturing and product testing of AdCOVID. The FDA also confirmed that additional nonclinical studies were not required and that the toxicology data previously submitted and reviewed for Altimmune’s NasoShield™ and NasoVAX™ intranasal vaccine candidates support the clinical development of AdCOVID, with no additional toxicology studies required before initiation of the Phase 1 trial.

About AdCOVID

In recently published preclinical studies (www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.10.10.331348v1) conducted in collaboration with the University of Alabama at Birmingham, potent serum neutralizing antibody and T cell responses were induced in mice in addition to a robust induction in mucosal immunity against the spike protein of the virus. Importantly, the mucosal immunity was characterized by IgA antibody and resident memory T cell responses in the respiratory tract, both are believed to be important in fighting infection.

Based on data from Altimmune’s other intranasal platform vaccines (NasoVAX^™ and NasoShield^™) AdCOVID is expected to have extended stability at room temperature allowing for cold chain-free shipment of the vaccine, where it can then be stored in common refrigerators found in community-based doctor’s offices and pharmacies for two years or more. The simple and convenient handling requirements may greatly increase the number of people willing to take the vaccine.

Altimmune anticipates commencing a Phase 1 safety and immunogenicity trial of AdCOVID in the fourth quarter of 2020 with a data readout in the first quarter of 2021.

About Altimmune

Altimmune is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing intranasal vaccines, immune modulating therapies and treatments for liver disease. Our diverse pipeline includes proprietary intranasal vaccines for COVID-19 (AdCOVID™), anthrax (NasoShield™) and influenza (NasoVAX™); an intranasal immune modulating therapeutic for COVID-19 (T-COVID™); and next generation peptide therapeutics for NASH (ALT-801) and chronic hepatitis B (HepTcell™). For more information on Altimmune, please visit www.altimmune.com.

About UAB

Known for its innovative and interdisciplinary approach to education at both the graduate and undergraduate levels, the University of Alabama at Birmingham is an internationally renowned research university and academic medical center, as well as Alabama’s largest employer, with some 23,000 employees, and has an annual economic impact exceeding $7 billion on the state. The pillars of UAB’s mission include education, research, innovation and economic development, community engagement, and patient care. Learn more at www.uab.edu.

Forward-Looking Statement

Any statements made in this press release relating to future financial or business performance, conditions, plans, prospects, trends, or strategies and other financial and business matters, including without limitation, the timing of key milestones for our clinical assets, the initiation and timing of the AdCOVID Phase 1 clinical trial in Q4 2020 and data readout in Q1 2021, the potential immunization effects of AdCOVID, the shipping and storage requirements for AdCOVID, the willingness of the general public to use AdCOVID, and the prospects for regulatory approval, commercializing or selling any product or drug candidates, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In addition, when or if used in this press release, the words “may,” “could,” “should,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “predict” and similar expressions and their variants, as they relate to Altimmune, Inc. (the “Company”) may identify forward-looking statements. The Company cautions that these forward-looking statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks, and uncertainties, which change over time. Important factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward looking statements or historical experience include risks and uncertainties, including risks relating to: potential impacts due to the COVID-19 pandemic such as delays in regulatory review, manufacturing and supply chain interruptions, access to clinical sites, enrollment, adverse effects on healthcare systems and disruption of the global economy the reliability of the results of studies relating to human safety and possible adverse effects resulting from the administration of the Company’s product candidates; the Company’s ability to secure regulatory approval for its AdCOVID investigational new drug application submission to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Company’s ability to manufacture clinical trial materials on the timelines anticipated; the Company’s ability to secure manufacturing approval from its SARS-CoV-2 cell licensor on the timelines anticipated; and the success of future product advancements, including the success of future clinical trials. Further information on the factors and risks that could affect the Company’s business, financial conditions and results of operations are contained in the Company’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including under the heading “Risk Factors” in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019 and quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2020 filed with the SEC, which are available at www.sec.gov.

GAITHERSBURG, Md., Nov. 09, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Novavax, Inc. (Nasdaq: NVAX), a late-stage biotechnology company developing next-generation vaccines for serious infectious diseases, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Fast Track Designation for NVX-CoV2373, the Company’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate. Currently in late-phase clinical development, NVXCoV2373 is a stable, prefusion protein made using Novavax’ nanoparticle technology and includes its proprietary MatrixM™ adjuvant.

“The FDA’s decision to grant Fast Track Designation for NVX-CoV2373 reflects the urgent need for a safe and effective vaccine to prevent COVID-19, and we look forward to working closely with the agency to accelerate access to this vaccine,” said Gregory M. Glenn, M.D., President of Research and Development, Novavax. “While the regulatory review of this clinical program will be expedited, Novavax remains committed to a data-driven and scientifically rigorous approach in demonstrating safety and efficacy, which we believe will support confidence in the vaccine in the U.S. and globally.”

Novavax expects to begin its pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial in the United States and Mexico by the end of November. Data from the event-driven trial could support global authorization and approval, including in the U.S. The Company’s ongoing Phase 3 clinical trial in the UK to evaluate the efficacy, safety and immunogenicity of NVX-CoV2373 is expected to be fully enrolled by the end of November. Depending on the overall COVID-19 attack rate, interim data in the UK trial, which is also event-driven, are expected as soon as early first quarter 2021.

About NVX-CoV2373

NVX-CoV2373 is a vaccine candidate engineered from the genetic sequence of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 disease. NVX-CoV2373 was created using Novavax’ recombinant nanoparticle technology to generate antigen derived from the coronavirus spike (S) protein and contains Novavax’ patented saponin-based Matrix-M™ adjuvant to enhance the immune response and stimulate high levels of neutralizing antibodies. NVX-CoV2373 contains purified protein antigen and cannot replicate, nor can it cause COVID-19. In preclinical trials, NVX-CoV2373 demonstrated induction of antibodies that block binding of spike protein to receptors targeted by the virus, a critical aspect for effective vaccine protection. In the Phase 1 portion of its Phase 1/2 clinical trial, NVX-CoV2373 was generally well-tolerated and elicited robust antibody responses numerically superior to that seen in human convalescent sera. NVX-CoV2373 is also being evaluated in a Phase 3 trial in the UK and two ongoing Phase 2 studies that began in August; a Phase 2b trial in South Africa, and a Phase 1/2 continuation in the U.S. and Australia. Novavax has secured $2 billion in funding for its global coronavirus vaccine program, including up to $399 million in funding from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and almost $1.7 billion from the U.S. government.

About Fast Track Designation

Fast Track Designation by the U.S. FDA is a process designed to facilitate the development and expedite the review of drugs to treat serious conditions and fill an unmet medical need, with the intent of getting important new drugs to the patient earlier. Fast Track addresses a broad range of serious conditions. Specifically, Fast Track Designation facilitates meetings with FDA to discuss all aspects of development to support licensure and provides the opportunity to submit sections of a BLA on a rolling basis as data become available.

About Novavax

Novavax, Inc. (Nasdaq: NVAX) is a late-stage biotechnology company that promotes improved health globally through the discovery, development, and commercialization of innovative vaccines to prevent serious infectious diseases. Novavax is undertaking clinical trials for NVX-CoV2373, its vaccine candidate against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. NanoFlu™, its quadrivalent influenza nanoparticle vaccine, met all primary objectives in its pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial in older adults. Both vaccine candidates incorporate Novavax’ proprietary saponin-based Matrix-M™ adjuvant to enhance the immune response and stimulate high levels of neutralizing antibodies. Novavax is a leading innovator of recombinant vaccines; its proprietary recombinant technology platform combines the power and speed of genetic engineering to efficiently produce highly immunogenic nanoparticles in order to address urgent global health needs.

For more information, visit www.novavax.com and connect with us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Novavax Forward-Looking Statements

Statements herein relating to the future of Novavax and the ongoing development of its vaccine and adjuvant products are forward-looking statements. Novavax cautions that these forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. These risks and uncertainties include those identified under the heading “Risk Factors” in the Novavax Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended June 30, 2020, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). We caution investors not to place considerable reliance on forward-looking statements contained in this press release. You are encouraged to read our filings with the SEC, available at sec.gov, for a discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements in this press release speak only as of the date of this document, and we undertake no obligation to update or revise any of the statements. Our business is subject to substantial risks and uncertainties, including those referenced above. Investors, potential investors, and others should give careful consideration to these risks and uncertainties.

Contacts:
Investors
Erika Trahan ir@novavax.com
240-268-2022

Media
Brandzone/KOGS Communication
Edna Kaplan kaplan@kogspr.com
617-974-8659