Could This News From Moderna Mean Trouble for Novavax?
Novavax (NASDAQ: NVAX) hasn't yet applied for the use of its vaccine as a booster in the U.S. It's still waiting for regulators to give it the nod for use as a primary series. But the biotech is making its way into the booster market in other parts of the world. For example, Australia this week authorized the vaccine to be used as a booster. And earlier this spring, Japan became the first to fully approve Novavax's vaccine as a primary shot and booster. Novavax also has applied for booster authorization in the U.K. and European Union. And the company eventually will apply in the U.S. too.
This could be seen as great news. After all, many countries and regions boast high vaccination rates. There, Novavax could carve out share in the booster market. That is the plan. But Moderna (NASDAQ: MRNA) recently announced something that could make the road a bit more difficult for Novavax. Let's check out the news -- and see whether it truly could spell trouble for this vaccine latecomer.
Moderna recently reported outstanding results from its trial of a booster candidate specifically targeting the omicron variant and the original coronavirus. Today's vaccines all target the original virus. Moderna's booster candidate showed "superior" neutralizing antibody response against omicron one month after vaccination. That's compared to Moderna's coronavirus vaccine.
Source Fool.com
