BioNTech and Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine trial show positive results

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It is reported that 24 people between the ages of 18 and 55 who took two doses of the vaccine had generated antibodies within four weeks of their first injection. There were a total of 45 people participating in the study, with some receiving placebos and others getting higher doses of the vaccine.

Subjects in BioNTech’s US trial were injected with two doses of 10 micrograms or 30 micrograms each, three weeks apart, and were observed to have developed the highest level of potential immunity seven days after the booster injection.

The current study did not comprise pregnant women, and no other information on the ethnic diversity of participants was noted, although the paper does say that future studies will need to include a more diverse group.

In the clinical study, 24 people between the ages of 18 and 55 who received two doses of the vaccine had “significantly elevated” antibodies within four weeks of their first injection. Photograph: IStock

With promising preliminary results, BioNTech and Pfizer hope to conduct studies on a large scale, involving 30,000 participants, within weeks.“We still have a ways to go and we’re testing other candidates as well,” said Philip Dormitzer, the chief scientific officer for viral vaccines at Pfizer’s research laboratories. “However, what we can say at this point is there is a viable candidate based on immunogenicity and early tolerability safety data.”

Ugur Sahin, co-founder, and chief executive of BioNTech said that the company was opting for a higher level of neutralizing antibody responses in order to increase the likelihood that those vaccinated are prevented from spreading the disease, as well as from contracting.

BioNTech and Pfizer expect to manufacture up to 100m doses of the vaccine by the end of the year, and over 1.2bn doses by the end of 2021, counting on the dosage sizes required.

According to the Financial Time, the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine are based on a technology called messenger RNA (mRNA) - a process that is faster than traditional methods. Instead of using pathogens to induce an immune response, mRNA vaccines use genetic material that carries instructions for cells to produce proteins that fight disease. However, no marketable mRNA product has been produced to date.

BioNTech and Pfizer hope to progress to a larger US trial, involving 30,000 participants, within weeks Photo: Reuters

BioNTech is one of 17 groups to have proceeded to clinical evaluation of a Covid-19 vaccine, according to the World Health Organization.

BioNTech on Monday explored whether its technologies could be used as a Covid-19 therapy, adding that it had raised $250m from Temasek, the investment vehicle of the Singaporean government, alongside other investors. The company has also secured €100m in loans from the European Investment Bank.

ASEAN, Australia coordinate closely to develop COVID-19 vaccines, medicine Foreign ministers of ASEAN member countries and Australia agreed to coordinate closely to develop and produce COVID-19 vaccines and medicine.

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