Estimated Effectiveness of a Primary Cycle of Protein Recombinant Vaccine NVX-CoV2373 Against COVID-19
- PMID: 37792377
- PMCID: PMC10551773
- DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.36854
Estimated Effectiveness of a Primary Cycle of Protein Recombinant Vaccine NVX-CoV2373 Against COVID-19
Abstract
Importance: Protein recombinant vaccine NVX-CoV2373 (Novavax) against COVID-19 was authorized for its use in adults in late 2021, but evidence on its estimated effectiveness in a general population is lacking.
Objective: To estimate vaccine effectiveness of a primary cycle with NVX-CoV2373 against SARS-CoV-2 infection and symptomatic COVID-19.
Design, setting, and participants: Retrospective cohort study linking data from the national vaccination registry and the COVID-19 surveillance system in Italy during a period of Omicron predominance. All adults starting a primary vaccination with NVX-CoV2373 between February 28 and September 4, 2022, were included, with follow-up ending on September 25, 2022. Data were analyzed in February 2023.
Exposures: Partial (1 dose only) vaccination and full vaccination (2 doses) with NVX-CoV-2373.
Main outcomes and measures: Notified SARS-CoV-2 infection and symptomatic COVID-19. Poisson regression models were used to estimate effectiveness against both outcomes. Adjusted estimated vaccine effectiveness was calculated as (1 - incidence rate ratio) × 100.
Results: The study included 20 903 individuals who started the primary cycle during the study period. Median (IQR) age of participants was 52 (39-61) years, 10 794 (51.6%) were female, and 20 592 participants (98.5%) had no factors associated with risk for severe COVID-19. Adjusted estimated vaccine effectiveness against notified SARS-CoV-2 infection in those partially vaccinated with NVX-CoV2373 was 23% (95% CI, 13%-33%) and was 31% (95% CI, 22%-39%) in those fully vaccinated. Estimated vaccine effectiveness against symptomatic COVID-19 was 31% (95% CI, 16%-44%) in those partially vaccinated and 50% (95% CI, 40%-58%) in those fully vaccinated. Estimated effectiveness during the first 4 months after completion of the primary cycle decreased against SARS-CoV-2 infection but remained stable against symptomatic COVID-19.
Conclusions and relevance: This cohort study found that, in an Omicron-dominant period, protein recombinant vaccine NVX-CoV2373 was associated with protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection and symptomatic COVID-19. The use of this vaccine could remain an important element in reducing the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.
Conflict of interest statement
Figures


Similar articles
-
Safety, Immunogenicity, and Efficacy of the NVX-CoV2373 COVID-19 Vaccine in Adolescents: A Randomized Clinical Trial.JAMA Netw Open. 2023 Apr 3;6(4):e239135. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.9135. JAMA Netw Open. 2023. PMID: 37099299 Free PMC article. Clinical Trial.
-
Safety, efficacy, and immunogenicity of the NVX-CoV2373 vaccine.Expert Rev Vaccines. 2023 Jan-Dec;22(1):501-517. doi: 10.1080/14760584.2023.2218913. Expert Rev Vaccines. 2023. PMID: 37246757 Review.
-
Immunogenicity and safety of heterologous booster with protein-based COVID-19 vaccine (NVX-CoV2373) in healthy adults: A comparative analysis with mRNA vaccines.J Formos Med Assoc. 2024 Mar;123(3):340-346. doi: 10.1016/j.jfma.2023.10.012. Epub 2023 Nov 22. J Formos Med Assoc. 2024. PMID: 37996322
-
NVX-CoV2373-induced T- and B-cellular immunity in immunosuppressed people with multiple sclerosis that failed to respond to mRNA and viral vector SARS-CoV-2 vaccines.Front Immunol. 2023 Jul 20;14:1081933. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1081933. eCollection 2023. Front Immunol. 2023. PMID: 37545513 Free PMC article.
-
Effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC Med. 2022 May 23;20(1):200. doi: 10.1186/s12916-022-02397-y. BMC Med. 2022. PMID: 35606843 Free PMC article.
Cited by
-
Recombinant receptor-binding motif of spike COVID-19 vaccine candidate induces SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody response.Bioimpacts. 2024 Nov 4;15:30520. doi: 10.34172/bi.30520. eCollection 2025. Bioimpacts. 2024. PMID: 40256231 Free PMC article.
-
Clinical development of SpikoGen®, an Advax-CpG55.2 adjuvanted recombinant spike protein vaccine.Hum Vaccin Immunother. 2024 Dec 31;20(1):2363016. doi: 10.1080/21645515.2024.2363016. Epub 2024 Jun 5. Hum Vaccin Immunother. 2024. PMID: 38839044 Free PMC article. Review.
-
New COVID-19 vaccination recommendations in Spain: Optimizing for next seasons.Enferm Infecc Microbiol Clin. 2025 Jan;43(1):36-46. doi: 10.1016/j.eimc.2024.08.012. Enferm Infecc Microbiol Clin. 2025. PMID: 39845334 Free PMC article. Review.
-
Population-Based Evaluation of Vaccine Effectiveness against SARS-CoV-2 Infection, Severe Illness, and Death, Taiwan.Emerg Infect Dis. 2024 Mar;30(3):478-489. doi: 10.3201/eid3003.230893. Epub 2024 Jan 31. Emerg Infect Dis. 2024. PMID: 38295401 Free PMC article.
-
Overview of adult immunization in Italy: Successes, lessons learned and the way forward.Hum Vaccin Immunother. 2024 Dec 31;20(1):2411821. doi: 10.1080/21645515.2024.2411821. Epub 2024 Oct 21. Hum Vaccin Immunother. 2024. PMID: 39429151 Free PMC article. Review.
References
-
- European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control . Data on COVID-19 vaccination in the EU/EEA. Accessed December 23, 2022. https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/publications-data/data-covid-19-vaccinatio...
-
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità . COVID-19: surveillance, infection impact and vaccine effectiveness. National update 21 September 2022. Article In Italian. 2022. Accessed September 14, 2023. https://www.epicentro.iss.it/en/coronavirus/sars-cov-2-integrated-survei...
-
- Italian Government. Anti COVID-19 vaccine report. Article in Italian. Accessed December 16, 2022. https://www.governo.it/it/cscovid19/report-vaccini/
-
- Agenzia Italiana del Farmaco . Vaccini COVID-19. Accessed February 20, 2023. https://www.aifa.gov.it/vaccini-covid-19
-
- World Health Organization . Weekly epidemiological update on COVID-19 - 14 December 2022. 2022. Accessed September 14, 2023. https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/weekly-epidemiological-update-on...
Publication types
MeSH terms
Substances
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Medical
Miscellaneous