Novavax’s newly patented influenza vaccine technology utilises hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA), major proteins found on the surface of the influenza virus together with a single influenza matrix 1 (M1) protein, to form the core of the influenza VLP.
Novavax said that its technology allows HA and NA to be engineered to match strains recommended by US and world health regulatory authorities and then combined with a universal M1 protein.
Gale Smith, vice president of vaccine development at Novavax and one of the senior inventors of the VLP technology, said: “Our VLP technology overcomes a major limitation of the current influenza virus vaccine technology that depends on strain selection and optimisation every year.
“It enables faster production of vaccine for the target influenza strain than the existing, egg-based process which resulted in significant delays in the manufacture of vaccines during the 2009 H1N1 pandemic emergency.”
Rahul Singhvi, president and CEO of Novavax, said: “We are grateful to our scientific team that pioneered this innovative and elegant approach to manufacturing efficient, high-quality, immunogenic influenza vaccines.”