Vaccine developer Novavax Inc will start a trial in Australia to test its combined flu and COVID-19 vaccine.

The early phase trial will comprise 640 healthy adults aged 50-70 who have either been previously infected with the coronavirus or given an authorised COVID-19 vaccine at least eight weeks prior to the study.

Participants will receive a combination of the company’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate, NVX-CoV2373, and its influenza shot, NanoFlu, along with an adjuvant or vaccine booster.

“The combination of these two vaccines … may lead to greater efficiencies for the healthcare system and achieve high levels of protection against COVID-19 and influenza with a single regimen,” Novavax president of research and development Gregory Glenn said.

Novavax had said in May it expected seasonal influenza and COVID-19 combination vaccines to likely be critical in combating emerging COVID-19 variants.

It said its vaccine NanoFlu/NVX-CoV2373 had elicited robust responses to both influenza A and B and protected against the coronavirus in pre-clinical studies.

The trial will be conducted at up to 12 study sites across Australia.

Novavax expects trial results in the first half of 2022.