FDA grants emergency use of Novavax COVID-19 vaccine
BALTIMORE -- The United States Food and Drug Administration authorized emergency use of the COVID-19 vaccine produced by Gaithersburg-based Novavax, the agency announced Wednesday.
Unlike Moderna's and Pfizer-BioNTech's mRNA vaccine, Novavax's vaccine was created using a trace amount of the COVID spike protein, resulting in an immune response from the human body, which is boosted by another substance.
It is billed as an alternative for people who might have an allergy or personal preference keeping them from getting the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines.
The Biden administration on Monday announced it has secured an initial 3.2 million doses of the vaccine.
The FDA's advisory committee voted June 7 in favor of authorizing Novavax's shot for emergency use among people who are 18 years of age or older.
