The FDA and CDC have authorized a fourth COVID-19 vaccine, created by Novavax Inc., for people 18 and older. The new vaccine has comparable efficacy to the previous vaccines that were approved by the FDA for emergency use.

University of Iowa Health Care was one of the sites Novavax used for its Phase 3 multi-site trial, which was announced in January 2021. 150 Iowans participated in the vaccine trials.

Patricia Winokur, the executive dean of the University of Iowa’s Carver College of Medicine, was the principal investigator for the UI trial site for both the Novavax vaccine and the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Winokur said in a UI Health Care press release, the latest vaccine may be particularly helpful for people who are hesitant to use the new mRNA vaccines.

“The Novavax vaccine uses technology that is similar to more traditional vaccines, such as seasonal flu shots,” Winokur said.

According to the release, all COVID-19 vaccines, including Novavax, work by teaching the body’s immune system what the virus’ “spike” protein looks like, to better prepare it for fighting off exposure to COVID-19. No vaccines cause COVID-19 within recipients.

What makes the Novavax version different from the others is that the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines use mRNA to generate that immune response, while the Novavax vaccine delivers the pre-made spike protein itself along with a compound that stimulates the immune system. 

The Novavax vaccine can be administered as two doses taken three weeks apart. It can also be stored at refrigerator temperatures, making it more practical for small clinical practices and other countries that don’t have the same infrastructure as the U.S, the release says.

“We are excited to have yet another safe and effective vaccine available to the public in a short period of time,” Winokur said. “The rapid development of these life-saving vaccines is thanks to decades of foundational research by scientists and researchers at academic medical centers like UI Health Care.”

UI Healthcare encourages anyone unvaccinated to consider vaccination options to reduce hospitalizations and further spread of COVID-19.