Novavax asks EU regulator to clear COVID vaccine for teens

LONDON (AP) — The pharmaceutical developer Novavax says it has asked the European Medicines Agency to extend the authorization of its coronavirus vaccine to children aged 12 to 17 amid a surge of disease across the continent. In a statement on Thursday, Novavax said its request is based on data from research in more than 2,200 teens aged 12 to 17 in the U.S., which found its vaccine to be about 80% effective against COVID-19. The EU drug regulator gave Novavax’s two-dose COVID-19 vaccine the green light in December for adults, but the company has struggled to make enough shots and has repeatedly delayed deliveries.