(Iowa City, IA) -- University of Iowa Health Care is taking part in COVID-19 vaccine trial. Researchers are testing a vaccine by Novavax. The multi-site clinical trial aims to enroll 30-thousand people, 250-in Iowa. Participants will get two doses of the vaccine, 21-days apart.
“Different types of vaccines are helpful because certain people might respond better to one type of vaccine than another,” says Patricia Winokur, MD, executive dean of the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, and principal investigator for the UI trial site for the Novavax vaccine. Winokur also led the UI site for the clinical trial of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.
“I think this is going be a really important trial because this vaccine can be stored at refrigerator temperatures, so if it’s safe and effective, this is going to be a much more appropriate vaccine for small practices and for other countries that don't have the same infrastructure that the U.S. has,” Winokur says.
The study is open to men and nonpregnant women over age 18. Researchers especially hope to recruit those over 65, those who have medical conditions, like obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure, that put them at high risk for severe disease; underrepresented populations; and people with jobs that put them at increased risk for coming into contact with the virus, which might include younger essential workers.
Participants will receive two doses of vaccine 21 days apart. Two thirds of participants will get the active vaccine and one third will get a placebo injection. Over 8-10 visits, the participants will be evaluated to learn about the safety and effectiveness of the vaccines as well as any side effects that might occur.
Participants in the Novavax study will be followed for up to two years to see if they develop symptoms of COVID.