RPT-UPDATE 1-Novavax says efficacy preserved in participants receiving influenza, COVID-19 vaccines

(Repeats to change media packaging code)

June 14 (Reuters) - Novavax Inc said on Monday vaccine efficacy appeared to be preserved in those receiving an approved influenza vaccine along with its COVID-19 vaccine candidate compared to those receiving its COVID-19 vaccine alone.

The company released the results from a sub-study it conducted as part of its late-stage clinical trial of NVX-CoV2373, its protein-based COVID-19 vaccine candidate, in the United Kingdom.

The 431 participants enrolled in the sub-study received an approved seasonal influenza vaccine with about half the participants administered NVX-CoV2373, while the rest received placebo.

The company said vaccine efficacy was 87.5% compared to 89.8% in the main study.

"... these results demonstrate the promising opportunity for concomitant vaccination, which may improve the uptake of both vaccines," said Gregory Glenn, president of research and development at Novavax.

Novavax is also testing its combined flu/COVID-19 vaccine and in May said the combination produced functional antibodies against influenza and the coronavirus in a pre-clinical study.

(Reporting by Amruta Khandekar)