The US FDA has approved a new seasonal influenza vaccine designed to provoke a stronger immune response in the elderly.

Fluad (Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics Limited) is the first seasonal influenza vaccine that contains an adjuvant, a substance that enhances or directs the immune response of the vaccinated person. In the case of Fluad, the adjuvant is an oil-in-water emulsion of squalene oil, a naturally occurring substance in humans, animals, and plants that is highly purified for making vaccines.

The new vaccine is trivalent, produced from three influenza strains: two subtype A and the other type B. It is indicated specifically for people aged 65 years and older.