Feb 27 (Reuters) - Novavax's ( NVAX ) fourth-quarter

loss narrowed on Thursday, helped by reduced selling and

administrative expenses of COVID-19 vaccines, its only product

on the market.

The company has struggled to keep up with the pace of its

rivals Moderna ( MRNA ) and Pfizer ( PFE ), which make messenger

RNA-based vaccines compared to its protein-based shot.

Novavax ( NVAX ) reported quarterly sales of $49.8 million for COVID

vaccines, down 80.2% from the year earlier.

The U.S. company signed a licensing deal worth at least $1.2

billion with French drugmaker Sanofi in May to hand

over the rights to sell its vaccines in several markets,

including the United States and Europe.

Maryland-based Novavax ( NVAX ) said it would continue to sell the

shots in the U.S. during the first half of this year, as it

transitions the market to Sanofi beginning with the 2025-2026

vaccination season.

It is banking on revenue from its Sanofi deal and vaccines

in development, including an experimental COVID-flu combination

shot and for bird flu, which is in pre-clinical stage.

Novavax ( NVAX ) said it was eligible to receive royalties in high

teens to low twenties percent on Sanofi sales, along with $350

million in commercial launch payments associated with the

COVID-flu combination products.

The vaccine maker did not provide total revenue forecast for

2025, as it is reliant on Sanofi's sales estimates for certain

revenue components.

Shares of Novavax ( NVAX ), along with other vaccine makers, took a

hit this year after lawmakers advanced President Donald Trump's

nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to head the Department of

Health and Human Services towards confirmation.

An environmental lawyer and a vaccine critic, Kennedy was

confirmed to the role on February 13.

Novavax's ( NVAX ) net loss was $81 million for the quarter ended

December 31, compared with a net loss of $178.3 million a year

ago.

It ended 2024 with $938 million in cash and receivables,

compared to $584 million as of December 31, 2023.