After a six-week delay, the US Food and Drug Administration has approved Novavax’s Covid-19 vaccine, according to a letter from the agency, but only for people 65 and older and those 12 and up who have at least one underlying condition that puts them at higher risk of severe illness.

The notice came shortly after an advisory panel meeting at which members debated the pros and cons of asking manufacturers to update their vaccines.

Novavax's full FDA approval for NUVAXOVID is a transformative milestone, unlocking a $175M Sanofi payment and validating their protein-based vaccine technology. The approval positions Novavax as the only non-mRNA COVID-19 vaccine with full FDA approval, offering a differentiated alternative amid growing mRNA fatigue.