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Novavax's COVID-19 vaccine in final testing stages, but some doctors worry about trial participation

While part of the trial is being done here in Tampa Bay, doctors with USF Health and Tampa General Hospital are trying to recruit more people to get the shot.

TAMPA, Fla — Using new technology that hasn't been approved before, Novavax is a step closer to getting a vaccine that provides COVID-19 immunity. 

"There hasn't been a vaccine that's been licensed with this technology, but they've been trying this technology for a long time," said Dr. Michael Teng with USF Public Health.

The virologist says the protein vaccine triggers the body's immune system by injecting a spike protein and adjuvant so the body can make antibodies to fight COVID-19. It's similar to the mRNA vaccines that have already been approved by the FDA, but early data shows those who get the shot have fewer side effects. 

"The volunteers that got the vaccine, they have a higher neutralizing antibody response than even people that were infected with the virus. It looks like you're they're inducing a better immune response than the virus itself does," Teng said.

In Novavax's Phase 3 clinical trial, 30,000 people need to be enrolled. While part of the trial is being done here in Tampa Bay, doctors with USF Health and Tampa General Hospital are trying to recruit more volunteers.

"You want to cut across all those different groups, if at all possible," said Dr. Jill Roberts with USF Public Health.

The infectious disease expert says the testing is targeted at communities and demographic groups most impacted by the disease, meaning anyone who is 65 and older, Black or Latino. So far, not enough people have signed up. 

"Participation in trials, of course, is voluntary. So you need people to actually volunteer for it and that's really, really tough," Roberts said. 

Teng is one of the few who has filled out an application to be a part of the trial.

"It's really important to include those people in your clinical trial because those are the really, those really are the people that we should be targeting next," Teng said.

With the Phase 3 trial in the beginning stages, scientists are confident it will be approved and help vaccinate those in the U.S. quicker.

"This can be stored anywhere from 2-8 degrees and so that additional stability gives us a lot more options for traveling this vaccine in different places in the world," Roberts said.

There are four other vaccines that reached Phase 3 trials in the U.S. Two are the ones already in use, Pfizer and Moderna.

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