Early results from an experimental coronavirus vaccine show no major safety problems and suggest that it spurs the desired immune system responses, researchers reported on Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine.The US government has awarded Novavax, a company based in Gaithersburg, Maryland, USD 1.6 billion to help develop and make the vaccine, which is given as two shots, three weeks apart. It includes a protein from the coronavirus to prompt the immune system to make antibodies to fight infection. The study tested two dose levels in 108 healthy people and compared responses to 23 others who got placebo shots. Most of those given vaccine also received an adjuvant — a substance often included in vaccines to boost the immune system’s response and stretch a limited supply.

Early results from an experimental coronavirus vaccine show no major safety problems and suggest that it spurs the desired immune system responses, researchers reported on Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine.The US government has awarded Novavax, a company based in Gaithersburg, Maryland, USD 1.6 billion to help develop and make the vaccine, which is given as two shots, three weeks apart. It includes a protein from the coronavirus to prompt the immune system to make antibodies to fight infection. The study tested two dose levels in 108 healthy people and compared responses to 23 others who got placebo shots. Most of those given vaccine also received an adjuvant — a substance often included in vaccines to boost the immune system’s response and stretch a limited supply.