Iowa City, Iowa -University of Iowa Health Care is taking part in the Phase 3 clinical trial for the new Novavax COVID-19 vaccine.
The medical center is enrolling 250 people to test the vaccine for its rate of success and safety.
Participants will get two doses, and one-third of them will receive a placebo in the trial.
University of Iowa Health Care previously took part in the clinical trial for the Pfizer vaccine, which is now being administered across the nation.
Novavax uses a more traditional vaccine technology than the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, which use mRNA to generate an immune response.
The Novavax vaccine creates an immune response by injecting the virus itself into the body along with a compound that stimulates the immune system. Because the vaccine does not contain the whole virus, it cannot cause COVID-19. The technology is similar to what has been used previously for seasonal flu shots.
“Different types of vaccines are helpful because certain people might respond better to one type of vaccine than another,” said Patricia Winokur, MD, executive dean of the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine.