QE Hospital King's Lynn plays instrumental role in the study of the Novavax Covid-19 vaccine
The UK has ordered 60 million doses
Last updated 9th Aug 2021
The QE Hospital King’s Lynn has played an instrumental role in the study of the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine which has efficacy of 89.7% against SARS-CoV-2.
A final analysis of a Phase III trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine shows a two-dose regimen of the vaccine administered 21 days apart was found to be safe, 89.7% effective against SARS-CoV-2 infection and showed high efficacy against the alpha variant.
The study also demonstrated initial vaccine side effects were mostly mild and temporary.
It was conducted at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital-run Clinical Research Facility where 500 of the 15,000 participants were enrolled in the trial.
33 sites across the UK were involved, including Norfolk, with 27% of the 15,000 participants being aged 65 and over, and 44% having coexisting illnesses.
Dr Christopher Jeanes, Consultant Microbiologist and Infection Control Doctor at QEH, said:
“On behalf of myself and my co-PI Professor Jeremy Turner, at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, we have been extremely proud to lead the delivery of this trial locally. The vaccine research programme has been an immense combined effort on behalf of the participants and it has been a large team and a system-wide effort across Norfolk and Waveney including the acute hospitals, primary care, community care and the National Institute for Health Research”.
“QEH has been really instrumental in delivery of the study, reflecting a really big achievement for a Trust, which continually delivers high quality research at a level above and beyond its size”.
The UK has ordered 60 million doses of the Novavax vaccine pending its approval.