HOUSTON – The Pfizer and Moderna vaccine were first on the market. On Thursday, Johnson and Johnson requested emergency authorization from the FD and now the Novavax vaccine is in the works.
“I think it’s a promising candidate,” Dr. Jennifer Whitaker at the Baylor College of Medicine said.
Dr. Jennifer Whitaker, an assistant professor of infectious disease at the Baylor College of Medicine, said in the United States, Novavax is conducting Phase 3 clinical trials and about 20,000 people are signed up.
“This is looking at efficacy protecting people from symptomatic COVID-19,” she said.
Studies done in the United Kingdom states that the vaccine is around 89% effective against COVID-19.
Dr. Linda Yancey, an infectious disease specialist at Memorial Hermann, said the Novavax uses bacterial protein that is created in a lab and used as nanoparticles to fight COVID-19.
“Basically, they are teeny tiny of the spike protein. That when injected into your arm shows the spike protein to your immune system so they can develop antibodies against them so when you come across the virus you breathe it in the body is forewarned and can go ahead and kill it off before it causes an illness,” Yancey said.
The Novavax vaccine would require two shots 21 days apart.
“This vaccine can be restored at a refrigerated temperature which makes it a little bit easier for distribution,” Whitaker said.
Health experts said Novavax could be ready for use this summer and will be another tool to fight COVID-19.
“We are just very excited about this vaccine,” Yancey said.
The Baylor College of Medicine started the Novavax clinical trial in January and has about 130 people enrolled.
Doctors said some of the participants have already received their first dose.
If you would like to take part in the Novavax clinical trial, click here for more information.