Novavax, Inc. is a clinical-stage vaccine company headquartered in Gaithersburg, Maryland with additional facilities in Rockville, Maryland and Uppsala, Sweden. Novavax received a US$89 million research grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for development of vaccines for maternal immunization. It has an ongoing Phase III clinical trial in older adults for its candidate vaccine for seasonal influenza, NanoFlu. The company positions NanoFlu for the unmet need for a more effective vaccine against influenza, particularly in the elderly who often experience serious and sometimes life-threatening complications. In January 2020, it was granted fast track status by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for NanoFlu.
The updated vaccine specifically addresses the XBB.1.5 subvariant of the Omicron variant, which has raised concerns due to its potential to evade immunity conferred by earlier versions of the vaccine.
