The World Health Organization (WHO) has granted emergency use listing (EUL) for Novavax and Serum Institute of India’s (SII) Covid-19 vaccine NVX-CoV2373. The vaccine, known as Covovax, is produced by SII under licence from Novavax. The clearance further expands WHO-validated vaccines against Covid-19 and is expected to provide impetus to vaccination efforts in lower-income countries. Covovax is a protein-based Covid-19 vaccine developed using Novavax’ recombinant nanoparticle technology. The vaccine has already received emergency use authorization (EUA) in Indonesia and the Philippines.

Switzerland is reportedly ordering additional Covid-19 vaccine jabs amid concerns over the Omicron variant. According to a Reuters report, the European nation is working to procure seven million doses of vaccine each from Moderna, and from Pfizer and BioNTech for the second half of 2022. This will increase its vaccine stockpile to 34 million doses. Switzerland and its neighbouring Liechtenstein have reported a total of 1.2 million cases since the pandemic started. 

Providence Therapeutics, VaxThera and Colombia’s Ministry of Health and Social Protection have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on vaccine development. The MoU encompasses the development and subsequent commercialisation of Covid-19 and other vaccines in Colombia and the Latin American region. As agreed, Providence will offer access to its pipeline of vaccine candidates under development for Covid-19 variants as well as its mRNA platform and associated IP for developing other vaccines.