Single-dose jab combining COVID and flu vaccines to be trialled in Australia
Vaccine developer Novavax Inc will start a trial in Australia, testing its combined flu and COVID-19 vaccine.
This early phase trial will comprise of 640 healthy adults aged between 50 to 70 years who have either been previously infected with coronavirus or given an authorised COVID-19 vaccine at least eight weeks prior to the study.
Participants are set to receive a combination of the company’s COVID-19 vaccine, NVX-CoV2373, and its influenza shot, NanoFlu, along with an adjuvant or vaccine booster.
“Combining these two vaccines may lead to greater efficiencies for the healthcare system and achieve high levels of protection against COVID-19 and influenza with a single regimen”, Novavax President of Research and Development Gregory Glenn said in a statement.
Novavax announced in May they expected seasonal influenza and COVID-19 combination vaccines to likely be critical in combating emerging COVID-19 variants.
This particular vaccine - NanoFlu/NVX-CoV2373, had elicited robust responses to both influenza A and B and protected against the coronavirus in pre-clinical studies.
This trial will be conducted at up to 12 study sites across Australia. We can expect trial results in the first half of 2022.