US-based pharma company Pfizer Inc and German Biotech company BioNTech announced that their mRNA-based COVID vaccine candidate, BNT162b2, has demonstrated evidence of efficacy against COVID-19 in patients. The first interim efficacy analysis conducted on November 8, 2020, by an external, independent Data Monitoring Committee (DMC), stated this from the Phase 3 clinical trial.
Pfizer said in a statement, “Vaccine candidate was found to be more than 90% effective in preventing COVID-19 in participants without evidence of prior SARS-CoV-2 infection in the first interim efficacy analysis.”
Pfizer Inc and BioNTech collaboration giving positive hopes!
Pfizer Inc and BioNTech are the first drug-making companies to be successful in the production of the vaccine against the deadly coronavirus. The respective companies have stated that they have not found any serious safety concerns but are expected to pursue the US authorization for the emergency utilization of the vaccine.
Pfizer said both the companies are working to prepare the necessary safety and manufacturing data to submit to the US drug regulator along with the efficacy data generated at the clinical trials of the vaccine. This will thus enable the demonstration of the safety and quality of the vaccine product produced.
Pfizer also added, “Based on current projections we expect to produce globally up to 50 million vaccine doses in 2020 and up to 1.3 billion doses in 2021.”
On July 27th, the Phase 3 clinical trial of BNT162b2 began thus enrolling 43,538 participants to date. From these 38,955 participants have received the second dose of the vaccine as of 8th November 2020.
Here’s what the officials had to say on their achievement
Dr. Albert Bourla, Pfizer Chairman and CEO said, “Today is a great day for science and humanity. The first set of results from our Phase 3 COVID-19 vaccine trial provides the initial evidence of our vaccine’s ability to prevent COVID-19.”
“The first interim analysis of our global Phase 3 study provides evidence that a vaccine may effectively prevent COVID-19. This is a victory for innovation, science, and a global collaborative effort,” stated Prof. Ugur Sahin, BioNTech co-founder, and CEO.
