Novavax Announces New Seasonal Combination Respiratory Vaccine Program

• Seasonal influenza nanoparticle approach replaces VLP program
• HHS BARDA contract will complete its term as scheduled in September 2016
• Nanoparticle design builds on advances achieved with RSV F Vaccine
• Animal immunogenicity and efficacy data demonstrate broadly neutralizing antibodies
• Data presented at Keystone Symposia

GAITHERSBURG, Md., June 02, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Novavax, Inc., (Nasdaq:NVAX) a clinical-stage vaccine company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of recombinant nanoparticle vaccines and adjuvants, today announced Dr. Louis F. Fries, III, Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, presented data on Novavax' nanoparticle program at the New Approaches to Vaccines for Human and Veterinary Tropical Diseases Keystone Symposia in Cape Town, South Africa.

Data included in the presentation demonstrate Novavax' progress in developing seasonal influenza nanoparticles that are protective in a ferret influenza challenge model when combined with our proprietary adjuvant, Matrix-M(TM).  The vaccine candidate is based on a hemagglutinin nanoparticle and elicited broadly neutralizing antibodies to all three types of influenza viruses: A(H3N2), A(H1N1), and B, with specificity to both contemporary and historical influenza strains.

The presentation can be accessed at: http://www.novavax.com/download/files/presentations/Novavax_Nanopartic ...  

Nanoparticle Design Builds on Advances Achieved with RSV F Vaccine

"Our seasonal influenza nanoparticle approach builds on the advances achieved with our RSV nanoparticle. Our breakthrough in RSV vaccine development leverages conserved sites within the F protein to provide protection from contemporary and historical strains of RSV. We have replicated that approach in developing our seasonal influenza nanoparticle. Novavax pioneered the use of palivizumab-competing antibodies as a metric for an effective immune response to RSV and we have developed a similar, influenza-specific, broadly neutralizing monoclonal antibody competition assay to test responses to our new influenza vaccine," said Gregory Glenn M.D., President of Research and Development. "Our seasonal influenza nanoparticle antigens elicit antibodies that neutralize the influenza virus at nanomolar concentrations and interact with epitopes that lead to traditional hemagglutination-inhibition, as well as other protective epitopes. The capacity of these antibodies to neutralize across drifted influenza A and B strains and the two B strain lineages suggest our seasonal influenza nanoparticles may offer improved protection and address the frequent mismatch of vaccine versus circulating strains.