--- title: New Flu Vaccine for Older Adults Combines Three Proven Methods in One Shot description: A Lancet trial found the aQIVc flu shot beat an older enhanced vaccine and matched a recombinant one, but it is not yet available in the US. author: Dr Marina Nani (Editor-in-Chief) updated: 2026-09-11T03:15:31.095Z canonical: https://richhealthmagazine.com/article/aqivc-flu-vaccine-older-adults-three-methods categories: Longevity & Science content_type: News region: Global publication: Rich Health Magazine schema_type: Article --- Researchers testing a new flu vaccine for older adults reported that a single shot combining three separate protection-boosting methods produced a stronger immune response than an older enhanced vaccine and worked as well as a recombinant one already in use. The Phase 3 trial, published on September 10 in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, enrolled 7,699 adults aged 50 and over across eight countries and compared the new shot against two of the enhanced flu vaccines designed for this age group. The vaccine, known as aQIVc and sold under the brand name AUJEMFLU, comes from CSL Seqirus. What sets it apart is the combination: it is the first flu vaccine for older adults to bring three enhancement methods together in a single dose. Each of those methods has been used on its own in flu shots for years. One is a higher dose of the vaccine. The second is an ingredient called an MF59 adjuvant, which prompts the immune system to react more strongly. The third is cell-based manufacturing, a newer way of growing the vaccine that does not rely on eggs. Until now, a flu shot might use one of these. This one uses all three. ## The New Shot Outperformed One Enhanced Vaccine and Matched Another Against an older adjuvanted, egg-based vaccine, aQIVc produced a stronger immune response against all four flu strains and in both age groups the study tracked, the researchers reported. That is the result the study calls superiority: a measurably bigger antibody response. Against a recombinant flu vaccine, which is already available and already recommended for seniors, aQIVc met the bar for non-inferiority, matching the recombinant shot on 3 of 4 strains among everyone aged 50 and over, and on all 4 strains among those 65 and older. Non-inferiority is a specific measure: it means a new vaccine works at least as well as the comparator, within a margin the researchers set before the trial began. The immune responses lasted through the flu season, according to the study, and the shot was well tolerated. Most side effects were mild or moderate and cleared within three days. The researchers also noted an exploratory signal of stronger antibody responses to neuraminidase, a flu protein that is an emerging area of study for its possible link to less severe illness. ## Enhanced Flu Shots Are Already the Standard for Seniors Older adults are more vulnerable to flu because the immune system becomes less responsive with age, which is why a stronger shot matters more after 65. US health guidance already reflects this. The CDC recommends that adults 65 and older get one of the enhanced flu vaccines rather than a standard-dose shot, and there are three enhanced options to choose from this season. Fluzone High-Dose uses a higher dose. Fluad is an MF59-adjuvanted shot. Flublok is a recombinant, egg-free shot. Each one uses a single enhancement method, which is what aQIVc brings together. For now, that specific shot is not available to American readers. aQIVc has been approved for adults 50 and over in the UK, by the MHRA, and across the European Union, through the European Commission. It has no FDA approval and no announced US availability, so it is not an option this flu season for anyone choosing a shot in the United States. The practical takeaway for a US senior, or an adult son or daughter picking a shot for an aging parent, is unchanged: ask for one of the three enhanced flu vaccines the CDC already recommends for the 65-and-older group, rather than a standard dose. ## FAQ **Q: Is the new AUJEMFLU (aQIVc) flu vaccine available in the US?** No. It has been approved for adults 50 and over in the UK and the European Union, but it has no FDA approval and no announced US availability. A reader in the United States cannot get this specific shot this season. **Q: What is the best flu shot for people over 65?** The CDC recommends any one of three enhanced flu vaccines for adults 65 and older, rather than a standard-dose shot: Fluzone High-Dose, Fluad, or Flublok. It does not rank one above the others, so the best choice is whichever enhanced option your provider or pharmacy has in stock. **Q: What is the difference between high-dose and adjuvanted flu vaccines?** A high-dose vaccine, such as Fluzone High-Dose, contains more of the flu antigen to prompt a bigger immune response. An adjuvanted vaccine, such as Fluad, adds an ingredient called MF59 that stimulates a stronger response. Both aim at the same goal, a firmer immune reaction in older adults, by different routes. The new aQIVc shot combines both approaches along with cell-based manufacturing. **Q: What does non-inferiority mean for a vaccine?** It means the new vaccine works at least as well as the one it is compared against, within a margin set in advance by the researchers. It shows the vaccine matches the comparator, not that it beats it. **Q: Why do older adults need a stronger flu shot?** The immune system becomes less responsive with age, so a standard-dose shot tends to generate a weaker response in seniors. Enhanced vaccines are built to produce a stronger reaction, which is why the CDC recommends them for the 65-and-older group.