Cantech Letter logo

Sanofi becomes market authorization holder for Nuvaxovid® in Canada, expanding COVID-19 vaccine choices for Canadians

Sanofi-Aventis Canada Inc.
Thursday at 11:05am ADT · April 9, 2026 4 min read
  • Nuvaxovid, a non-mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, will be made available in Canada by Sanofi for the fall 2026-2027 season
  • Provincial and territorial availability will be confirmed pending ongoing discussions and provincial assessments
  • Transfer of market authorization from Novavax follows the strategic agreement signed between the two companies in May 2024
  • This underscores Sanofi’s commitment to public health and vaccine innovation in Canada

TORONTO, April 9, 2026 /CNW/ – Sanofi today announces it has become the market authorization holder in Canada for Nuvaxovid, a non-mRNA protein-based COVID-19 vaccine. Nuvaxovid represents another step in Sanofi’s commitment to building a diverse portfolio of best-in-class vaccines and addressing respiratory diseases for Canadians across their lifespan. Sanofi will make Nuvaxovid available in Canada for the fall 2026-2027 season.

“With the launch of Nuvaxovid, a non-mRNA protein-based COVID-19 vaccine, Sanofi is now able to offer Canadians greater choice when it comes to COVID-19 protection. The availability of Nuvaxovid means that every Canadian will have the opportunity to access their personal COVID-19 vaccine choice,” said Delphine Lansac, General Manager, Canada, Vaccines at Sanofi. “Canadians have clearly expressed a need for a non-mRNA option when it comes to COVID-19 protection. With this transfer, Sanofi can now respond to that need.”

Nuvaxovid is a non-mRNA, protein-based vaccine for active immunization to prevent COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 in individuals 12 years of age and older.1 It has been shown to have a favourable tolerability profile suitable for seasonal vaccination2-4.  The vaccine uses a well-established protein-based technology platform and has also demonstrated efficacy of approximately 90% in preventing symptomatic COVID-19 based on pivotal phase 3 clinical studies5-6.

As the new global market authorization holder, Sanofi will oversee the production, distribution, and safety monitoring of the vaccine. Looking ahead to the 2026-2027 respiratory virus season, Sanofi is actively preparing to meet anticipated demand in Canada, working to ensure patients have access to this unique protein-based, non–mRNA COVID-19 vaccine as part of the company’s expanding respiratory vaccine offerings.

About COVID-19

COVID-19 remains a significant cause of illness, hospitalization and death, creating a significant health burden in Canada. During the fall-winter 2024-2025 season, Canada experienced over 120,718 confirmed COVID-19 cases, more than 33,500 hospitalizations, 469 COVID-19 associated ICU admissions and over 2,300 COVID-19 deaths7. 

The disease not only causes immediate health impacts but also increases the long-term risk of cardiovascular complications, including heart attacks and strokes8. Despite these ongoing risks, 73.9% of Canadian adults did not receive the vaccine in 2024-2025, leaving a substantial portion of the population vulnerable to severe COVID-19 outcomes9. Expanding vaccine options may help address vaccine confidence and improve uptake, ultimately reducing the burden of COVID-19 on individuals and the Canadian healthcare system.

About Sanofi

Sanofi is an R&D driven, AI-powered biopharma company committed to improving people’s lives and delivering compelling growth. We apply our deep understanding of the immune system to invent medicines and vaccines that treat and protect millions of people around the world, with an innovative pipeline that could benefit millions more.

Sanofi is the largest biopharma manufacturer in Canada, and is investing, innovating and operating across the full life sciences value chain. We are 2,000+ employees strong, invest 20% of our revenue annually in biopharma research, and are on track to deliver over $2 billion in new infrastructure investments by 2028. Sanofi is committed to our community and is working with partners to foster a long-term sustainable ecosystem and build a healthier Canada.

Sanofi is listed on EURONEXT: SAN and NASDAQ: SNY  

References


  1. NUVAXOVID® PRODUCT MONOGRAPH, March 06, 2026
  2. Marchese AM, et al. J Infect Dis. 2024;230(2): e496-e502. 
  3. Atmar RL, Lyke KE, Deming ME, et al. Homologous and heterologous Covid-19 booster vaccinations. N Engl J Med 2022; 386:1046–57. 27. 
  4. Lyke KE, Atmar RL, Dominguez Islas C, et al. Immunogenicity of NVX-CoV2373 heterologous boost against SARS-CoV-2 variants. NPJ Vaccines 2023; 8:98. 
  5. Heath PT, et al. N Engl J Med. 2021;385(13):1172-1183.  
  6. Dunkle LM, et al. N Engl J Med. 2022;386(6):531-543. 
  7. Public Health Agency of Canada. (2026). Canadian respiratory virus surveillance report. Health Infobase. (https://health-infobase.canada.ca/respiratory-virus-surveillance/archive/crvsr/2025-09-12/)
  8. Public Health Agency of Canada. Seasonal Respiratory Vaccination Coverage Survey. Ottawa: Public Health Agency of Canada; 2025-10-31. https://health-infobase.canada.ca/srvcs/
  9. Xie Y, et al. JAMA. 2024;331(22):1963-1965.

SOURCE Sanofi-Aventis Canada Inc.

displaying rededs