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The Public Health Agency of Canada says it won’t deliver Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine this respiratory virus season, citing low demand.
It says the manufacturer requires a minimum order of its updated protein-based vaccine, called Nuvaxovid, which far exceeds uptake by Canadians last year.
The agency says a very small portion of doses ordered in 2023 have been used and its decision reflects efforts to limit vaccine waste.
It is distributing two mRNA vaccines — made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna — that are approved for adults and children six months and older.
Both COVID-19 vaccines have been reformulated to target the recently circulating KP.2 subvariant of Omicron.
Novavax’s vaccine, which was approved by Health Canada last month for adults and children aged 12 and older, is being touted as an alternative to the mRNA vaccines.
The public health agency says provinces and territories have the option to order the vaccine — which has been updated to target the JN.1 subvariant of Omicron — directly from the company.
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As of Tuesday afternoon, several provinces — including Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Nova Scotia, PEI and Newfoundland and Labrador — confirmed to The Canadian Press that they are not placing orders for Nuvaxovid.
The Public Health Agency of Canada said in an email that the contract with Novavax “only provides access to domestically produced vaccines, which Novavax has not been able to confirm for the 2024/25 season.”
The minimum order requirement was based on purchasing Novavax vaccines that were “internationally produced,” the report said.
“Demand for Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine in Canada has been very low in recent years,” the public health agency said. “In 2023, 125,000 doses of the Novavax XBB.1.5 vaccine were ordered and available in Canada, of which only 5,529 doses were administered.”
In emails to The Canadian Press, Novavax confirmed it was producing its updated vaccine outside Canada.
It said the company is “significantly dependent on its supply agreement with Serum Institute of India Pvt. Ltd”, but does not wish to elaborate further.
—With files from Hannah Alberga in Toronto.
© 2024 The Canadian Press
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