The Gaithersburg, Md. biotech company Novavax showed a promising immune response in an early phase one COVID-19 trial – but not without a high rate of mostly mild side effects, the company reported.
The study found to elicit “robust antibody responses” and the potential to reduce the disease’s transmission.
Specifically, the candidate had a “reassuring” safety profile. The most common side effects were tenderness and pain at the injection site.
Novavax enrolled about 130 healthy volunteers in its trial. The company gave participants either a placebo or one of four escalating doses of its vaccine.
Everyone who received the vaccine developed neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2.
But a word of caution.
The study results are still too preliminary to draw any firm conclusions about how well the vaccine might protect against COVID-19, experts say.
Novavax will submit its studies to scientific journals for peer review and publication.
Through Operation Warp Speed, the government is funding Novavax, a U.S. effort designed to develop rapid COVID-19 treatments and vaccines by the end of 2020.
Novavax is slated to receive $1.6 billion in federal funding.
Parrott will not seek Washington County Senate seat
Republican state Sen. Andy Serafini (R-Washington County) resigned from the Maryland Senate on August 1.
In a letter addressed to both Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan and Mr. Serafini’s Senate colleagues, Serafini said his elected responsibilities take too much time away from him spending with his family.
Washington County’s GOP central committee is constitutionally responsible for choosing Serafini’s Republican replacement.
The local GOP said it’s limiting its application process to Washington County’s state delegation.
It’s unclear who amid the all-male-Republican delegation will seek the District 2 Senate seat.
But one thing is clear, however: state Del. Neil C. Parrott (R-Washington County) took himself out of contention. Mr. Parrott, the Republican nominee in the 6th District, says he’s focused on ousting from Congress incumbent Rep. David J. Trone (D-Md.) come November.
With Parrott out of the running, state Del. Paul Corderman (R-Hagerstown) and William J. “Bill” Wivell (R-Washington County) are set to present themselves as applicants before the local GOP committee.
Ryan Miner is the Editor of A Miner Detail and the host of A Miner Detail Podcast. He can be reached at Ryan@AMinerDetail.com.
