New York – Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech announced that their new COVID-19 vaccine is 95% effective. As the death toll skyrockets, both pharmaceutical companies seek emergency use authorization (EUA) from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
No serious side effects were recorded among the 41,135 people who participated in the Pfizer/BioNTech phase 3 trial. Previously, the vaccine was thought to be just 90% effective amongst 94 participants.
Dr. Albert Bourla, Pfizer Chairman and CEO said that he and his team need to move at an urgent pace.
“The study results mark an important step in this historic eight-month journey to bring forward a vaccine,” he said.
Both Pfizer and BioNTech submitted an approval request to the FDA on November 20th for a EUA. The request is based on the quality and consistency of the vaccine, as well as manufacturing data. Other regulatory agencies around the world also received these results.
Only 8 participants fell ill compared to 162 who received a placebo. The vaccine was also 94% effective in adults over 65.
The pharmaceutical duo plans to move quickly. They expect to produce up to 50 million vaccine doses globally in 2020 and about 1.3 billion at the end of 2021.
BioNTech founder and CEO Dr. Ugur Sahin and his team are grateful for the first global trial. It has reached the final efficacy analysis mark.
“A high rate of protection against COVID-19 can be achieved very fast after the first 30 microgram dose,” said Sahin.
The CDC recommends that healthcare personnel and people over 65 get first priority if supplies are limited.
In the coming months, will a 95% effective COVID-19 vaccine be distributed?
Thumbnail Credit: Getty Images (image may be subject to copyright)
Sources:
- “Pfizer and BioNTech Conclude Phase 3 Study of COVID-19 Vaccine Candidate, Meeting All Primary Efficacy Endpoints”
- “Pfizer and BioNTech Announce Vaccine Candidate Against COVID-19 Achieved Success in First Interim Analysis from Phase 3 Study”
- “How CDC Is Making COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations”
- “OUR PROGRESS IN DEVELOPING A POTENTIAL COVID-19 VACCINE”
James is published in the oldest African American Newspaper in the United States, The Philadelphia Tribune. In his spare time he writes about sports and plays the piano.