On Dec. 5, 2023, Novavax announced that Health Canada had granted expanded authorization for Nuvaxovid XBB.1.5 Vaccine (Recombinant protein, Adjuvanted) (NVX-CoV2601) for active immunization to prevent COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 in individuals aged 12 and older.

The Public Health Agency of Canada’s National Advisory Committee on Immunization recommended XBB COVID-19 vaccines that target more recent, immune-evasive variants of the virus. The expanded authorization was based on non-clinical data showing that Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine induced functional immune responses against XBB.1.5, XBB.1.16 and XBB.2.3 variants.