Northern Ireland clinical trial leads to approval of fifth Covid-19 vaccine

Nuvaxovid, the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Novavax, has been given regulatory approval by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

In reaching its decision, the MHRA considered the results of two large clinical trials involving nearly 50,000 participants.

In Northern Ireland almost 500 participants volunteered to take part in the clinical trial which was led by researchers Professor Danny McAuley, Professor Judy Bradley and Dr Johnny Stewart from Queen’s University Belfast and the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust.

Dr Janice Bailie, Assistant Director of HSC R&D Division in Public Health Agency, said: “This is another positive step forward in the battle against COVID-19. Belfast Trust was one of a group of hospitals across the UK to deliver the Novavax trial, in which almost 500 participants from Northern Ireland volunteered to take part.

“As funder of the Northern Ireland clinical R&D infrastructure, we are extremely grateful to each and every one of the participants, and also to the research team who worked so hard to deliver the study.

This was the first COVID-19 vaccine trial to take place in NI and the number recruited to take part in trial surpassed the original target of 350.

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