Jakarta, Nov 1 (Agency) US drug maker Novavax said on Monday that the Covid-19 vaccine it jointly developed with the Serum Institute of India has received the first authorization for emergency use in Indonesia. “The first authorization of Novavax’ Covid-19 vaccine exemplifies our commitment to equitable global access and will fill a vital need for Indonesia, which despite being the fourth most populous nation on earth, continues to work to procure sufficient vaccines for its population,” President and CEO Stanley Erck said in a statement. Shipments of the vaccine to Indonesia are expected to begin imminently, the statement said. “This is a landmark moment for Novavax and our partner, Serum Institute of India, and it is the first of many authorizations that Novavax expects in the coming weeks and months for our vaccine globally,” the statement added.
Separately, Novavax announced on Monday that it had filed for authorization for the vaccine in Canada and has also completed submissions for a review by the European Medicines Agency. The Indonesian approval for the Novavax Covid-19 vaccine comes almost a year after the first announcement of efficiencies for Pfizer’s coronavirus shot that marked the beginning of the global turnaround against the novel coronavirus, which has killed about 5 million people worldwide since it was first reported in China in 2019. The Novavax vaccine’s storage temperature of 2 to 8 degree Celsius – the standard temperature of refrigerators – will enable it to be stored more easily, potentially increasing its access in hard-to-reach areas, the statement said.