Novavax Covid-19 vaccine more effective than previously thought

The Covid-19 vaccine developed by Novavax demonstrated a higher efficacy than previously estimated against the mild, moderate and severe symptoms that the illness can bring on, final analysis of the late-stage trial conducted in the UK showed.

Novavax's efficacy in that trial was pegged at 96.4%.

Significantly, the results of a separate trial conducted in South Africa revealed that it was 55.4% effective against the new and more troublesome strain of Covid-19 that is now dominant in South Africa.

Those results compared to previous efficacy estimates of 89.3% and 49.4%, respectively.

By 1138 GMT, shares of Novavax had leapt by 20.21% in pre-market trading in the US to reach $225.55.