Novavax Taps Fujifilm to Scale Up Vaccine Production

Maryland-based Novavax has signed an agreement with Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies to manufacture the bulk drug substance for Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate NVX-CoV2373.

Fujifilm will supply batches of the substance from its North Carolina facility for a large, phase 3 clinical trial that is expected to begin in the fall.

The manufacturing deal will help Novavax fulfill its $1.6 billion contract with HHS and the Department of Defense, signed this month under Operation Warp Speed. Under the deal, Novavax is responsible for manufacturing 100 million doses of the vaccine (DID, July 8).

Novavax is currently testing NVX-CoV2373 in a phase 1/2 trial in Australia funded by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations. The company said it will release data from the phase 1 trial in the first week of August. — Jordan Williams