Novavax Vaccine Newly Approved for COVID-19

Although the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic is over, the virus still continues to claim lives all over the world. Moving forward, COVID-19 vaccines and testing will remain essential healthcare services and a key part of keeping yourself as well as those around you protected.

While COVID-19 vaccines have been available since early 2021, pharmaceutical companies are still striving to develop new COVID-19 vaccines and treatments. One such new vaccine that recently received emergency use authorization from the FDA is Novavax’s Adjuvanted vaccine. To help you decide if this new vaccine is the right choice for keeping you safe from COVID-19, let’s take a look at what differentiates Adjuvanted from other COVID-19 vaccines and what the FDA has to say about it.

What is Adjuvenated and How Does it Work?

Unlike the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines which are mRNA vaccines and the Johnson & Johnson vaccine which is a viral vector vaccine, Novavax’s new COVID-19 vaccine is a more traditional vaccine that works via a spike protein that is made using moth cells. In addition to this spike protein which replicates the spike protein found in the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the Novavax vaccine also includes an adjuvant made from tree bark that is designed to enhance the body’s immune response, and this is where the vaccine gets its name.

In July 2022, the FDA issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) for Adjuvanted, authorizing its use for “the prevention of COVID-19 caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in individuals 18 years of age and older”.

Speaking on the vaccine’s emergency use authorization, FDA Commissioner Robert M. Califf, M.D said, “Authorizing an additional COVID-19 vaccine expands the available vaccine options for the prevention of COVID-19, including the most severe outcomes that can occur such as hospitalization and death. Today’s authorization offers adults in the United States who have not yet received a COVID-19 vaccine another option that meets the FDA’s rigorous standards for safety, effectiveness and manufacturing quality needed to support emergency use authorization. COVID-19 vaccines remain the best preventive measure against severe disease caused by COVID-19 and I encourage anyone who is eligible for, but has not yet received a COVID-19 vaccine, to consider doing so.”

Is Adjuvenated Safe and Effective?

Concerns about vaccine safety might often be founded on myths, but it is still certainly important to address them. One of the biggest concerns that some people have with COVID-19 vaccines is the fact that they haven’t been in use for very long. In the case of Adjuvenated, we’ve had even less time to observe its safety and effectiveness.

Just because Adjuvenated and other COVID-19 vaccines haven’t been available for long, though, doesn’t mean that they haven’t undergone the same rigorous testing as any other vaccine. Based on comprehensive testing and study, there is no reason to worry about the safety or effectiveness of the Novavax vaccine.

Addressing these safety concerns, the director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research Peter Marks, M.D., Ph.D. said, “After a comprehensive analysis and evaluation of the data, and assessment of the manufacturing processes and information, as well as input from the FDA’s committee of external independent advisors, the FDA’s medical and scientific experts, have determined that the vaccine meets the FDA’s high standards for safety and effectiveness for emergency use authorization. Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine, Adjuvanted provides another alternative for adults and adds another vaccine to the COVID-19 vaccine supply for the United States. The American public can trust that this vaccine, like all vaccines that are used in the United States, has undergone the FDA’s rigorous and comprehensive scientific and regulatory review.”

Schedule an Appointment for COVID-19 Testing With St. Jude Labs

Along with vaccines, COVID-19 testing remains one of our most important lines of defense, ensuring that those who are infected with the virus are aware of their infection and take proper steps to avoid spreading it to others. At St. Jude Labs, we offer both PCR and antibody testing for COVID-19, allowing you to determine if you are currently infected with the virus or if you were infected at some point in the past. To schedule an appointment for COVID-19 testing with St. Jude Labs, be sure to contact us today!