Novavax's Covid-19 vaccine Nuvaxovid has been granted provisional approval by New Zealand's medicines regulator Medsafe for those aged 18 and over.
There is an agreement to purchase 10.72 million doses of the vaccine.
Depending on Covid-19 Vaccine Science and Technical Advisory Group advice and Cabinet's decision to use the vaccine, it could be delivered in the first quarter of this year.
“The Medsafe team has worked tirelessly to ensure that Covid-19 vaccine applications are prioritised and urgently reviewed, while still maintaining the same scrutiny that all medicine applications undergo before they can be approved,” Chris James, Medsafe's group manager, said.
The medicines regulator has now approved Covid-19 vaccines that use three different technologies.
“Medsafe only approves a vaccine or medicine for use in New Zealand once it is satisfied that it has met acceptable standards for quality, safety and efficacy,” James explained.
Medsafe’s provisional approval is one step in a process.
Ministers will consider advice from the Ministry of Health about whether to use Nuvaxovid vaccine in New Zealand.
Guidance will also be provided by the Covid-19 Vaccine Science and Technical Advisory Group.
Other regulators to have approved the Nuvaxovid vaccine include the European Medicines Agency and the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration.
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