Novavax Reports Two Highest Doses in Trial of Vaccine Using Matrix-M Showed Statistical Significant Reductions

Novavax, Inc.

, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company creating novel recombinant nanoparticle vaccines and vaccine adjuvants, today reported that its partner, Genocea Biosciences Inc., announced positive, interim topline data from a Phase 1/2A clinical trial of its lead candidate, GEN-003, a first-in-class investigational protein subunit vaccine for patients with moderate-to-severe herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) infection. Genocea's herpes simplex virus-2 therapeutic vaccine candidate uses the Novavax proprietary adjuvant known as Matrix-M. Genocea's results showed that vaccination with GEN-003 potentiated by the Matrix-M adjuvant can significantly blunt HSV-2 infection and reduce viral shedding. The two highest dose cohorts, both adjuvanted with Matrix-M, demonstrated significant reductions in viral shedding (51% and 30%, respectively, each p<0.001). No serious adverse events were related to the vaccine. The partnership agreement with Genocea covers the use of Matrix-M in the development of vaccines against specific diseases including herpes simplex virus type 2.