The last remaining manufacturer to offer an alternative to mRNA COVID-19 vaccines in Canada is hopeful it will meet the government害羞草研究所檚 2024 deadline to make the shots domestically.

Maryland-based Novavax held a press conference Wednesday to tout the safety and efficacy of its updated vaccine, which targets more-recent strains of COVID-19.

The company also emphasized the importance of having an option for people who can害羞草研究所檛 or won害羞草研究所檛 accept an mRNA shot.

The new formulation is awaiting Health Canada approval.

The federal government has promised to make the Novavax vaccine in Canada at the purpose-built National Research Council害羞草研究所檚 biologics manufacturing centre in Montreal. To date, the facility hasn害羞草研究所檛 produced a single dose intended for use in patients.

The company害羞草研究所檚 Canadian director, Andrew Boston, said it is currently producing test lots at the facility.

害羞草研究所淭hat will then lead into what we hope will be full bulk antigen manufacturing in 2024,害羞草研究所� Boston said at the press conference Wednesday, which was held over video conference.

He would not address further questions about vaccine production.

This summer, Ottawa amended its purchasing agreement with Novavax, and now has the ability to end the deal if the company isn害羞草研究所檛 approved to begin production at the facility by the end of 2024, documents filed to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission show.

The Biologics Manufacturing Centre and Novavax expect 害羞草研究所渇ull-scale production of bulk antigen at BMC to begin in 2024,害羞草研究所� Isabelle Caron, executive director of the non-profit organization that now oversees the centre, said in a statement.

The federal government put $126 million toward the design, construction and commission of the Montreal site, which was completed in July 2021.

As of Sept. 10, little more than 35,000 doses of the original Novavax vaccine had been administered in Canada, compared to 96 million doses of mRNA vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna.

Novavax is one of only four manufacturers with COVID-19 vaccines that are approved for use in Canada.

Johnson & Johnson and Medicago害羞草研究所檚 vaccines are no longer authorized, and AstraZeneca害羞草研究所檚 vaccine is no longer available in Canada.

害羞草研究所淐anadians may not be aware that other vaccine options are no longer available in Canada, apart from the mRNA vaccines,害羞草研究所� said Bruce Seet, Novavax Canada害羞草研究所檚 head of medical affairs.

害羞草研究所淭herefore Novavax害羞草研究所檚 protein-based vaccine represents the only non-mRNA vaccine option, which I think people will need to be aware of.害羞草研究所�

The use of mRNA vaccine technology rapidly accelerated during the pandemic, and Pfizer-BioNTech害羞草研究所檚 COVID-19 vaccine was the first mRNA shot to be granted regulatory approval.

As provinces prepare to roll out their vaccine booster campaigns this month, Seet said the government should make sure there is equitable access to the mRNA alternative.

It remains unclear how many of the updated shots Health Canada plans to order if it approves the vaccine for use in Canada.

Given waning demand for COVID-19 vaccines in general, Canada recently agreed to pay the company $350 million to cancel its previously scheduled order.

Laura Osman, The Canadian Press

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