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The FDA says it's approved a new flu vaccine that's made without eggs or the influenza virus. The vaccine called "Flublok" is permitted for use in people 18 to 49 years old to prevent seasonal flu.

Like other currently available seasonal flu vaccines, Flublok protects against two influenza A strains -- H1N1 and H3N2 -- and a B strain. Its production process differs, however, from the egg-based vaccines.

"While the technology is new to flu vaccine production, it is used to make vaccines that have been approved by the FDA to prevent other infectious diseases," the agency said in a press release, noting that the technology allows for faster production, which could be helpful in a pandemic situation.

The agency says the vaccine was created using DNA technology and an insect virus.

In 2009, an FDA advisory committee narrowly voted against recommending approval, citing insufficient safety data. The panel agreed, however, that the vaccine was effective.

The FDA says the new technology offers the potential for faster start-up of the vaccine manufacturing process in the event of a pandemic.

In the larger study, which was conducted in the U.S. during the 2007-2008 flu season, the vaccine was shown to be 44.6% effective against all circulating strains of influenza, even though 96% of the viral isolates taken from the participants were not matched to the vaccine strains.