Novavax on Monday said that co-administering its protein-based COVID-19 vaccine with an approved flu shot may be a “viable immunization strategy” in the future, based on preliminary findings from a recent study. The American biotech firm made the announcement on Monday based on data from the first co-administration study of a COVID-19 vaccine candidate and an approved influenza vaccine. Novavax said that as part of its Phase 3 clinical trials of its recombinant nanoparticle protein-based COVID-19 vaccine candidate, all 431 U.K. volunteers received an approved seasonal influenza vaccine. Roughly half the participants were co-vaccinated with the company’s COVID-19 vaccine while the remainder received placebo. Its the first clinical study to evaluate safety, immunogenicity, and efficacy of a COVID-19 vaccine when co-administered with a seasonal influenza vaccine. “The study demonstrated that vaccine efficacy appeared to be preserved in those receiving both vaccines compared to those vaccinated with NVX-CoV2373 alone,” the company …